<P> In the 2001 playoffs, during a blizzard against the Oakland Raiders in the final game at Foxboro Stadium, Vinatieri kicked a 45 - yard field goal into a swirling winter wind to tie the game 13--13 and send it into overtime . The Patriots won the game on another field goal of 23 yards by Vinatieri . In Super Bowl XXXVI that season, Vinatieri kicked a 48 - yard field goal on the final play to give the New England Patriots their first Super Bowl victory, a 20--17 upset win over the St. Louis Rams, who were 14 - point favorites coming into the game . Two years later in the 2003 season, in an almost identical situation, he kicked a 41 - yard field goal with four seconds left in Super Bowl XXXVIII to boost the Patriots to another championship (after missing one field goal and having another attempt blocked in the first half). This time, the Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers 32--29, making Vinatieri the first player ever to be the deciding factor in two Super Bowl games (Vinatieri kept the balls used on both of these kicks). </P> <P> In 2004, Vinatieri led the NFL in scoring with 141 points (31 - for - 33 on field goals, and a perfect 48 - for - 48 on points after touchdown or PATs). In a game against the St. Louis Rams, Vinatieri scored 16 points (4 field goals, 4 PATs), and threw a 4 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Troy Brown on a fake field goal attempt (that pass gives him a career passer rating of 122.9). He went on to score a field goal and three extra points in the Patriots 24--21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX . </P> <P> By the time Vinatieri finished his final season with the Patriots in 2005, he had kicked 18 game - winning field goals with less than one minute remaining, including the postseason . At the conclusion of the 2005 season, he had a career field goal percentage of 81.9 percent (263 / 321), fifth highest in NFL history . In his time in New England, his community involvement included helping Christian athletes, D.A.R.E., and the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau . He was a spokesperson for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island's teen anti-smoking contest, and also appeared in commercials for Boston - based pizza Papa Gino's . Vinatieri finished his 10 seasons with the Patriots as the team's all - time leading scorer with 1,156 points (that record was surpassed by Vinatieri's replacement, Stephen Gostkowski, in 2014). The Patriots have not re-issued Vinatieri's No. 4 since he left the team . </P> <P> After the 2005 season, the Patriots chose not to place the franchise tag on Vinatieri as they had the year before, allowing him to become a free agent . He had visited with the Green Bay Packers, but was set on signing in either a warm - weather climate or a team that plays home games in a dome . On March 22, 2006, Vinatieri signed with the Indianapolis Colts, replacing Mike Vanderjagt who signed with the Dallas Cowboys . Vinatieri was signed to a five - year contract and received a $3.5 million signing bonus . </P>

Who is the oldest active field goal kicker in the nfl