It was a rhetorical question, but one asked universally.
Is there another person in the world who could incentivize more than 60 thousand people to travel far and wide to a small town in southeast Massachusetts on a random weeknight night in June? Anyone other than Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr.?
The greatest athlete to walk the earth added to his inconceivable legacy Wednesday night as the New England Patriots packed Gillette Stadium to enshrine Brady into it’s Hall of Fame. Even the fickle New England weather was perfect — 70 degrees and sunny. The powers that be wouldn’t dream of letting it rain on the golden boy’s parade.
Hundreds of former coaches, teammates, and Patriots alumni returned to Foxborough for the occasion. World-famous musicians Jay-Z and Kenny Chesney showed up to perform just one song each. Comedian Bill Burr called the opening monologue he delivered his favorite gig ever. The great Jon Bon Jovi told reporters on the red carpet he wouldn’t have missed the event for anything, and for the first time in history, Payton Manning managed an ovation from Patriots Nation.
Current players watched in the ceremony, alongside all those who came before to hang up the six Super Bowl banners above the stage. It was motivating for them, confirmed by Deatrich Wise Jr. and Joshua Uche when it was all said and done, to see what one man can do for an entire region by doing everything the right way.
No one in attendance will forget the experience any time soon. Relive it from those who were there as they try to describe the night in words that do justice:
