The New England Patriots’ journey of six Super Bowl victories within two decades was just like a fairytale, and Tom Brady was the protagonist of the story. From being an underdog in the NFL to establishing a new dynasty overshadowing other franchises, the Patriots got every blessing when TB12 was with them.
Though Tom Terrific left the New England Patriots after 20 seasons to start his new journey with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his intense love and profound respect for the team never diminished. He returned to Gillette Stadium once again on Sunday for a much-needed reunion with the Patriots and fans amid the regular season.
NFL Legend Tom Brady gives passionate speech to Patriots supporters
During the halftime of the Patriots’ Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tom Brady made an appearance on stage to once again grace his fans in Foxboro.
“What a day. I’m not quite in game shape, but it’s impossible for me to be in this stadium full of you amazing fans, with some of the best teammates, with family, with all my friends to not run out like I did for 20 years. This is an incredible celebration for me, for our family, for my teammates. For all of us to come back and thank you guys for what you’ve done for us,” he said.
After being selected as the 6th-round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, the California Cool would go on to reign across the hearts of an entire generation of fans during his 18-season stint with the franchise. From not knowing where New England was, to creating a new dynasty with the team, his journey will forever be hailed magical among fans of the sport.
“I was so fortunate to be drafted here two decades ago, 23 years to be exact. Not even knowing where New England was on the map. Not that we put it on the map, but I think a lot more people in the U.S. know where the New England Patriots play.”
The 46-year-old veteran thanked the Kraft family as well as the Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick, former teammates, and other front-office members for helping him in this successful journey.
“Thank you RKK (Robert Kraft), JAK (Jonathan Kraft) and the Kraft Family. Coach Belichick, all the staff, the coaches, my teammates, the staff, you fans. Nobody 23 years ago would imagine that this journey would bring us here today. We had six championships. We had a lot of countless memories in this stadium.”
Fans speculated a diminishing relationship with him and his former team following his departure from New England, albeit the signal-caller boldly declared himself to be a Patriot for life.
“All our lives take us on different journeys. They take us to different places. They bring different people into our lives but one thing I am sure, and that will never change, is that I am a Patriot for life.”
He thanked his well-wishers for backing him up throughout the highs and lows of his career. The ex-Patriots star also pointed out the value of a team player and mentioned how the franchise worked jointly to earn the feat over the years.
Patriots anticipate inducting Tom Brady into the Hall of Fame next year
New England’s owner Robert Kraft provided another reason for Tom Brady to boast of his phenomenal career by announcing that the ex-footballer will be back in the summer for an in-stadium induction into the team’s iconic Hall of Fame.
The Patriots players have to wait for at least four years to get inducted to the HOF glory, albeit the team can’t follow the usual rules for the player who never failed to uplift them in the league. The three-time NFL MVP will now become the 35th member of the franchise’s HOF, and his induction is projected to be a pretty big event. They also announced that the ceremony will take place at the Gillette Stadium on June 12, i.e., 6/12, where the six refers to his six Lombardi trophy wins while twelve refers to his jersey number.
It will be marked as the first time that an induction ceremony for New England Patriots’ Hall of Fame takes place inside the stadium. How excited are you to see Tom Brady grace the iconic moment next year? Tell us in the comments.
