Richard Seymour landed in New England as the sixth overall pick in 2001 and immediately became the kind of defensive lineman coaches could drop into any gap without hesitation. At 6-foot-6 and well over 300 pounds, he mixed length and quickness in a way that let the Patriots treat him as both a run-stuffer and a pass-rusher from the start.

As a rookie, he earned All-Rookie recognition and contributed to the Super Bowl XXXVI win over the Rams. The versatility showed early; coaches moved him between defensive end, tackle, and even nose tackle without losing effectiveness. By 2002 he was a full-time starter and earned the first of five straight Pro Bowl selections.

The peak years followed. In 2003 Seymour recorded a career-high eight sacks while the defense switched to a 3-4 scheme, and he earned first-team All-Pro honors. He repeated as a first-team All-Pro in 2004 and 2005, remaining a constant problem for opposing lines even as the Patriots captured Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX. Offensive coordinators had to account for him on every snap; his combination of length, strength, and quickness created mismatches few teams solved cleanly.

The production stayed steady through the mid-2000s. Seymour continued making Pro Bowls while the Patriots remained contenders, and in 2008 he again reached eight sacks. Injuries limited him in 2007, yet he returned to form the next year. Throughout those seasons, he functioned as a defensive captain and the kind of interior force that made the rest of the front seven more dangerous. The physical dominance was obvious, but so was the football intelligence that let him diagnose plays and occupy multiple blockers.

Before the 2009 season, the Patriots traded Seymour to the Oakland Raiders for a first-round pick. His time in New England ended after eight seasons. With New England, he finished with 39 sacks and 359 tackles. He did so while helping the franchise win three Super Bowls and establish the early part of its dynasty. Seymour later earned two more Pro Bowl nods with the Raiders and was named to the 2000s All-Decade Team. The Patriots placed him in their Hall of Fame in 2020. Two years later he entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame.