The New England Patriots will induct two more former players into the Hall at Patriot Place on Saturday at 5 p.m. in a free public event.
Being inducted, as the 17th and 18th members of Patriots Hall of Fame, are QB Drew Bledsoe and C Jon Morris.
Bledsoe, the Number one overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, went on to become the franchise player head coach Bill Parcells and the team thought they were getting that day. Both Parcells and Bledsoe were instrumental in the Patriots going from doormats to playoff contenders and finally onto Super Bowl Champions. In his first six seasons he led the Patriots to the playoffs four times.
Some of his career highlights include:
- Leading the Patriots to their first ever back-to-back division titles in 1996 and 1997.
- He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection in 1994, 1996 and 1998.
- At age 23 became the youngest player in NFL history to surpass 10,000 passing yards.
- He is currently 8th all-time in passing yards with 44,611. He has more passing yards than 23 Hall of Fame quarterbacks.
- And in 1994 against Minnesota he set two NFL records when he threw 70 passes in a regulation game and complete 45 of them.
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Joining Bledsoe in the Hall is Morris, who played with the team from 1964-74. He was a 4th round pick of the Patriots in the 1964 AFL Draft out of Holy Cross.
In his 11 seasons with the Patriots, Morris made 6 AFL All-Star teams and was the first Patriots player ever named to the NFL Pro Bowl in 1970.
Morris who was a three-time finalist for the Hall after being nominated in 2008, 2009 and 2010 was finally selected by the Senior Selection Committee becoming the first to get selected that way.
After his retirement from football Morris was the color commentator on Patriots Radio network from 1979-87.
The other 16 member of the Hall at Patriot Place are:
- G John Hannah elected in 1991
- LB Nick Bouniconti elected in 1992
- WR/K Gino Cappelletti elected in 1992
- DL Bob Dee elected in 1993
- DL Jim Lee Hunt elected in 1993
- LB Steve nelson elected in 1993
- QB babe Parilli elected in 1993
- CB Mike Haynes elected in 1994
- QB Steve Grogan elected in 1995
- LB Andre Tippett elected in 1999
- T Bruce Armstrong elected in 2001
- WR Stanley Morgan elected in 2007
- TE Ben Coates elected in 2008
- FB Jim Nance elected in 2009
- Founder/Owner Billy Sullivan elected in 2009
- RB Sam Cunningham elected in 2010
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