McGinest voted into Patriots Hall of Fame - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Willie McGinest, who spent 12 of his 15 NFL seasons with the Patriots, has been voted by the fans into the Patriots Hall of Fame.

Picked with New England's first selection in the 1994 NFL Draft, McGinest played in four Super Bowls, winning three as a member of the Patriots dynasty of the 2000s.  He spent the final three years of his NFL career in Cleveland, where he played for former Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel.

McGinest was a two-time Pro Bowler and member of the Patriots team of the 1990s and team of the 2000s. He currently is an analyst for the NFL Network.

"I want to thank the entire Kraft family, the writers, all my teammates and coaches along the way, and of course the fans for making all of this possible," said McGinest. "It's a humbling experience. I know I was one of a couple of really, really talented players that were also deserving and I definitely respect the many players who have put on the Patriots uniform that also deserve this honor. I'm just happy and blessed to be in this position and humbled by being inducted."

McGinest immediately contributed to the turnaround of the Patriots, who went from 5-11 in 1993, the season before he was drafted, to 10-6 in 1994.

"We had some success early," said McGinest. "I knew when Mr. Kraft bought the team, he had a lot of expectations to grow the organization and to make it one of best, premier organizations in the league. The coaches and everybody there were committed to getting the best possible players on the roster and just being around some of the guys that I played with, after that first Super Bowl (XXXI) in '96, I just knew that we had an opportunity to do something great. Of course I didn't imagine it would be one of the winningest franchises in history and everything it's accomplished."

“Just a few months after I bought the Patriots, we drafted Willie McGinest in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “We came into the NFL together and will always share a special bond. During his 12-year Patriots career, Willie played a critical role in transforming us from a cellar dweller into a championship-caliber team.

"He was a leader of a defensive unit that propelled the Patriots to our first Super Bowl Championship in 2001. His leadership during the season and dominance in the postseason proved principal to our success in winning back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. Willie was a part of so many memorable moments for Patriots fans during his career. Now, I am looking forward to Patriots fans giving Willie a memorable moment as we celebrate his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame.”

McGinest will join defensive lineman Houston Antwine, who was selected on April 2, 2015, by the senior selection committee, as the 2015 Patriots Hall of Fame inductees. The induction ceremony will be held on the NRG Plaza outside The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon this summer. The date of the ceremony will be announced once it is confirmed. The outdoor hall of fame ceremony is free and open to the public. Fans of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. In addition, McGinest will be honored during a halftime ceremony this year.

Information provided by the Patriots was used in this report.