12 things to remember about Willie McGinest

After twelve seasons with the team, the retired linebacker was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame

ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Willie McGinest #55 of the New England Patriots rests on the sideline during the game with the Buffalo Bills on December 11, 2005 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Pats won 35-7. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

By Legacy User

August 5, 2015

1 minute to read

Perhaps Willie McGinest’s single most memorable moment as a New England Patriot came at the end of a 2003 game against the rival Indianapolis Colts. With 11 seconds left in the game, McGinest tackled Colts running back Edgerrin James on the New England goal line, sealing a 38-34 Patriots win.
McGinest ranks third in Patriots history with 78 sacks in 171 total games with the team.
In four seasons at the University of Southern California, McGinest received three all-conference awards and was an All-Amiercan in his senior year with the Trojans.
McGinest, the fourth overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, was the first player selected by the Robert Kraft-owned Patriots.
McGinest was selected to the 1996 Pro Bowl after just his second season in the league, in which he recorded 11 sacks. He also made the Pro Bowl following the 2003 season.
“Nobody would mess with Willie. Nobody,’’ Bill Belichick told ESPN about McGinest. “In the time that I’ve been here, if there was one player, I would put him up there as the guy that nobody … you just don’t want to cross him. If it got to that point, it’s better to back off than to get into it with him. He was very well respected.’’
The Patriots won three Super Bowls with McGinest on the field: 2001, 2003, and 2004. He also played in the Patriots’ 1997 Super Bowl loss to the Green Bay Packers
In the Patriots’ first Super Bowl win against the St. Louis Rams, McGinest sacked quarterback Kurt Warner for a 16-yard loss.
McGinest was part of a defensive core that included Tedy Brusci, Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel, and Ted Johnson.
In the 2005 Wild Card round win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, McGinest recorded 4.5 sacks — a still-standing playoff record.
McGinest also holds the all-time NFL postseason sack record with 16 career sacks in 18 games.
After 12 seasons with the Patriots, McGinest played his last game with the team in 2006.