The main engineer of the New England Patriots' dynasty, at least from a player standpoint, is Tom Brady. The legendary quarterback will undoubtedly be a first ballot Hall of Famer, and there's no question the Patriots would not have their six Lombardi Trophies if not for him.
However, it takes a village to win in professional sports, and both segments of the Patriots' dynasty had a sizable village surrounding Brady. And there are two key figures in the success of those teams who are up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.
They are kicker Adam Vinatieri and linebacker Tedy Bruschi, two of 20 players with ties to the Patriots who are eligible to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, next year.