Patriots

Patriots announce 3 familiar finalists for 2023 Hall of Fame vote

The winner of the fan vote will be inducted with Dante Scarnecchia at the team Hall of Fame later this year.

Mike Vrabel will look to join Richard Seymour and Tedy Bruschi in the Patriots Hall of Fame. Jim Davis / Globe Staff

April 13, 2023

The Patriots announced the three finalists for the 2023 team Hall of Fame vote on Thursday, with a nomination committee selecting former head coach Bill Parcels, linebacker Mike Vrabel, and guard Logan Mankins.

An online fan vote — which will run through May 2 — will determine the winner of that trio.

All three candidates have been finalists before, with Vrabel leading the pack with seven total nominations.

It’s a testament to the talent spread across the Patriots’ rosters over the years that Vrabel has yet to earn the nod yet, losing out in previous years to Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, Rodney Harrison, Matt Light, Raymond Clayborn, and Kevin Faulk over the last six ballots.

One of the most versatile players in team history, Vrabel won three Super Bowls as one of the leaders of a stout New England defense. He also emerged as a dependable red-zone threat for Tom Brady, catching 10 passes for 10 total receiving touchdowns between the regular season and the playoffs. Vrabel is currently the coach of the Tennessee Titans.

Mike Vrabel caught 10 passes in a Patriots uniform. All 10 resulted in touchdowns. @CoachVrabel50 (via @nflthrowback)

📺: #TENvsNE— Sunday 1pm ET on CBS
📱: NFL apppic.twitter.com/gTMpyIEtN8
— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2021

Mankins returns to the finalist vote after landing on last year’s ballot. Even though the tenacious guard never won a Super Bowl over his nine seasons with New England, he was one of the top interior offensive linemen of his era. Mankins earned six Pro Bowl nods and made five total All-Pro teams with the Patriots.

April 23, 2005

Logan Mankins

Is selected with the 32nd pick of the 1st Rd by the New England Patriots in the 2005 NFL Draft

All Pro – 1x
Pro Bowl – 7x
HoF All-2010’s team – 1xpic.twitter.com/3ktOQqy5W9
— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) April 22, 2021

In an unfortunate twist of fate, the Patriots hoisted the Lombardi Trophy both in the season before Mankins’ arrival (2004-05) and after they dealt him to the Buccaneers just before the 2014-15 campaign began.

Parcells has been a finalist five times (2011, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2023). During his four seasons in Foxborough, Parcells went 34-34 as a head coach and led New England to Super Bowl XXXI.

Considering where the franchise was at the start of the ‘90s, Parcells helped lead the Patriots back to respectability, even though he did leave the organization on sour terms due to disagreements with Robert Kraft on roster-building decisions.

The Patriots will announce the winner of the fan vote during the week of May 2.

The winner will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame at Gillette Stadium at a later date, where they will be joined by former offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.