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By Cameron Kiszla
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Kicker Adam Vinatieri had plenty of jokes for his former teammates and coaches when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last weekend, but one of his former teammates wasn't feeling it.
Vinatieri, a former New England Patriot and Indianapolis Colt, had a crack about former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who many expected to be enshrined this year but who was not selected and was not at the ceremony at all.
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Vinatieri referenced Belichick's current position as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels in his speech — as well as Belichick's much younger girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.
"I thought it was because training camp had already started," Vinatieri said about Belichick's absence, as reported by ESPN, "but in truth it's because he is judging his girlfriend's cheerleading competition."
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Another former Patriot, tight end Rob Gronkowski, was asked by Claudette Montana of Sports Illustrated if he would make those types of jokes at Belichick's expense, and he was much more reticent than Vinatieri.
"I wouldn't be sitting here right now talking to you if it wasn't for coach Belichick," Gronkowski said. "I love Adam Vinatieri as well. I never played with him, but he's the best kicker of all time, though."
After getting the compliments out of the way, Gronk acknowledged that Vinatieri is "funny" and a "great guy," but he said he wouldn't try to follow in the kicker's footsteps.
"I would not," he said. "Maybe back in the day, but I've gotta know my lane. I guess Adam Vinatieri, he's got a big lane out there."
We'll find out for sure next year, when Gronk almost assuredly becomes a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Interestingly, he's almost assuredly going to be inducted alongside Belichick, so unlike Vinatieri, if he wants to crack jokes, he'll have to do it to Belichick's face.
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