Fan favorite: Coates gets pass into Patriots Hall of Fame
One Hall of Fame down, one to go for Ben Coates.
The Patriots announced yesterday that Coates will be the 13th player to be enshrined in the team's Hall of Fame. The preeminent tight end in team history, Coates won the fan voting at Patriots.com to receive the honor. He was one of three finalists, beating out running back Jim Nance and offensive lineman Jon Morris.
Coates and the other 12 honorees will be the first players enshrined in The Hall at Patriot Place, the team's one-of-a-kind, interactive homage to its history that opens in September.
A 1991 fifth-round pick out of Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C., Coates spent nine seasons in a New England uniform (1991-99) and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, teaming with quarterback Drew Bledsoe to form one of the NFL's most dangerous duos. Coates is second on the team's all-time touchdown list with 50 and is third in receptions with 490. His 5,471 receiving yards are the fourth-highest total in team history. All those totals are tops in team history among tight ends, and Coates still holds the Patriots record for consecutive games with a reception (63).
The 38-year-old Coates, who lives in South Carolina, got the news yesterday morning from Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
"[There is] no better honor in the world than to go into the Hall of Fame with the Kraft family," said Coates. "I am thrilled to have the honor to be in the Patriots Hall of Fame."
Well, there is one honor greater than the Patriots Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That could be the next stop for Coates, who retired in 2000. He'd like to join former teammate Andre Tippett, who will be enshrined Aug. 2 in Canton, Ohio.
Coates, who finished his career with 499 receptions for 5,555 yards and 50 TDs - all among the top 10 for tight ends all time, does have Canton credentials. From 1994-98, he led all NFL tight ends in receptions (375) and touchdown receptions (36) and was second in receiving yards (4,151). His 96 receptions in 1994 set a then-club record and remained the NFL mark for tight ends until the Kansas City Chiefs' Tony Gonzalez hauled in 102 passes in 2004.
"This one right here came at the right time, with Mr. Kraft opening up the building this year," said Coates. "It is just a matter of time before I will actually get that call to go to Canton. I don't sit here and debate on it or worry about it every day. Everything in due time comes for good people who wait for it."
Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com.
