Earlier this week, 25 players were named semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2025. While a few names — Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vinatieri, and James Harrison — got the bulk of the attention, Vince Wilfork also earned the semifinalist distinction for the fourth consecutive year. And Jerod Mayo, the current New England Patriots head coach and a former teammate of Wilfork's, gave his opinion on the longtime New England defensive tackle.
Wilfork played for the Patriots from 2004 to 2014, during which time he won a pair of Super Bowls and was named an All-Pro and Pro Bowler five times each. He is considered to be one of the greatest players in New England history, as evidenced by his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame and his being named to the franchise's 50th Anniversary Team after just five years with the organization.
So when Mayo, who played alongside Wilfork for all but the final year of the current Patriots coach's career, was asked about his thoughts on Wilfork's “football journey” and their experiences together, Mayo gave a glowing endorsement of his former teammate.
“When I came into the league in 2008 and I was Rookie of the Year, it was all because of those guys up front,” Mayo said during a press conference on Friday. “It started with Vince at the nose. Honestly, for a defensive lineman, he was a dominant player. Sometimes the stats don't do it justice, but he was a dominant player for a very long time. I hope he gets in. I don't have a vote, but I hope he gets in.”
A standout at the University of Miami, Wilfork was selected 21st overall by the Patriots in the 2004 NFL Draft. He immediately made an impact, starting six games during the 2004 season, which ended with New England winning the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles. After his rookie season, Wilfork would earn a start in every remaining game of his career.
Wilfork totaled 559 tackles over 189 career games from 2004 to 2016. Additionally, his teams qualified for the playoffs in every year but one. In 24 career playoff games, Wilfork recorded 85 tackles.
After winning his second Super Bowl with the Patriots, Wilfork signed with the Houston Texans during the 2015 offseason, ending his 11-year tenure with New England. In two seasons with Houston, Wilfork started 31 games and helped lead the Texans to AFC South titles and the playoffs in back-to-back years.
Fittingly, Wilfork played his final game in New England; his Texans lost to the Patriots in the Divisional round of the 2016 playoffs, and six months later, Wilfork signed a one-day contract with the Patriots and retired with the team that drafted him.
Wilfork will have to wait a little longer to see if he is selected as one of the 15 finalists for the Hall of Fame.
