Tom Brady tweeted he “would love to see” retired New England Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour get into the NFL Hall of Fame.
Seymour, who played for the Patriots and the then-Oakland Raiders, is eligible to join the Hall as a finalist for the 2021 class. He is a three-time finalist after a career when he was seven-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro selection and a three-time Super Bowl champion.
“Not only was he a dominant player but a team-first, selfless player who played championship fb each & every wk. He was a cornerstone of the Patriots dynasty & deserves to be recognized for his contributions,” Brady wrote on Tuesday morning on Twitter.
That elicited a reaction from Seymour.
thx TB12 the goat 🐐. go win lucky number 7 you always make us proud! playing against you for 12 years made me better…
if i wasn't held by 2/3 guys on the helmet catch this would be #8 @elimanning 🙃🤭 https://t.co/t2hIMKNS1H— Richard Seymour (@BigSey93) January 19, 2021
Seymour is one Patriot who may have gone underrated during his career with the team. Perhaps because coach Bill Belichick traded Seymour in 2009, his name wasn’t quite as synonymous with the dynasty as players like linebackers Willie McGinest and Tedy Bruschi and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. But Seymour’s contributions were enormous from that 3-4 defensive position that requires a big, gritty defender.
“He played selfless football that did not afford him the opportunity to stockpile personal statistics,” former Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli wrote on NFL.com this week. “Instead, he willingly played within the scheme and helped New England win championships.”
