It’s safe to say everybody in New England knows who Tom Brady is. And Wednesday was the day to celebrate the former quarterback coming back to New England.
Brady returned to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on June 12 to be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.
Before the ceremony took place, Gov. Maura Healey issued a proclamation honoring Brady, according to Wicked Local media partner WCVB Channel 5.
“Massachusetts celebrates Tom Brady for his profound dedication to the sport of football, making countless memories while inspiring millions across the country,” the proclamation states.
And all Brady fans seem to recognize his dedication. Gillette Stadium was filled to the max with fans who wanted to pay tribute to the former quarterback. Here’s a synopsis of the event.
Who was on hand for the Brady induction?
Team owner Robert Kraft; Brady’s mother, father and three sisters; and many of Brady’s former teammates, including receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola; former quarterback Drew Bledsoe; defensive backs Ty Law, Patrick Chung along with Devin and Jason McCourty; former linemen David Koppen and Sebastian Vollmer, and legendary line coach Dante Scarnecchia; former tight end Rob Gronkowski; running backs James White, Patrick Pass and Kevin Faulk; former linebacker Steve Nelson, former head coach Bill Belichick; current head coach and former linebacker Jerod Mayo, among many others.
Even former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning – one of Brady’s biggest rivals – showed up to speak at the event.
Some people couldn’t make the ceremony but sent in video tributes including actor Matt Damon, and football rivals like former Raiders player Charles Woodson, former New York Giants Michael Strahan and Eli Manning, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.
Here’s a look at some other attendees.
- Wes Welker, wide receiver (2007-12)
- Randy Moss, wide receiver (2007-10)
- Deion Branch, wide receiver (2002-05, 2010-12)
- Troy Brown, wide receiver (2000-07)
- Matthew Slater, wide receiver/special teams (2008-19)
- Vince Wilfork, defensive tackle (2004-14)
- Willie McGinest, edge rusher (2000-05)
- Brian Hoyer, quarterback (2009-11, 2017-18)
- Matt Cassel, quarterback (2005-08)
- Rob Ninkovich, edge rusher (2009-16)
- Matt Light, offensive tackle (2001-11)
- Logan Mankins, guard (2005-13)
Why was the event held on June 12, specifically?
Robert Kraft has previously explained that the ceremony was held in June – the sixth month – to represent Brady’s six Super Bowl rings won with the Patriots. The 12 stands for Brady’s jersey number.
His No. 12 jersey was declared retired by team owner Robert Kraft during Wednesday’s ceremony.
Some notable quotes from the event
- Actor and former pro wrestler John Cena said in a Brady tribute video that the former quarterback was “dismissed, unknown and underestimated” before becoming the greatest of all time.
- Comedian Bill Burr, who spoke during the ceremony, said Brady “is the greatest quarterback of all time…no doubt about it.”
- Event host and Monday Night Football analyst Mike Tirico, the host of the event, noted, “What a night. What a legacy to what sports means in New England.”
- Brady told the crowd at Gillette, “You affected every part of my life.”
- Chung mentioned that Brady’s “competitive nature is something else…he’s competitive at everything.”
- Law told Brady, “You are the greatest football player ever.”
- Wilfork added that Brady was “always working…he’s meant the world to me.”
- “He never put anyone above the team,” McGinest said at the event. “(Brady) is a better person than he is a football player.”
- “Hats off to Tom. He made me a better person and a better player throughout my life,” Gronkowski said.
- “You humble me. You make me proud, and I am eternally grateful,” Brady said after receiving his red Hall of Fame jacket. “I am Tom Brady and I am a Patriot.”
- “It was a tremendous honor for me to draft Tom and coach Tom for 20 years,” Belichick told the crowd. “Everything he brought to the team, it was really an honor for me to be involved with that.”
Tom Brady’s records
- Wins: 251
- Pro Bowls: 15
- Super Bowl MVP Awards: 5
- Completions: 7,753
- Attempts: 12,050
- Passing Yards: 89,214
- Passing Touchdowns: 649
Tom Brady history in brief
Brady started his legend in 2001 when he took over the quarterback position from Drew Bledsoe on the New England Patriots.
And then Brady proceeded to win the New England Patriots six Super Bowl rings before departing to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, where he won one more Super Bowl ring.
As the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady was selected behind six other quarterbacks. He began as the Patriots’ fourth-string quarterback. But he replaced Bledsoe as the starter when Bledsoe went down with an injury early in the 2001 season, and never gave the job back. He won his first Super Bowl at the end of that season, when the Patriots defeated the heavily favored St. Louis Rams.
How many players are in the Patriots Hall of Fame?
Brady is the 35th person to be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Some players who have already been inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame include Bledsoe, safety Rodney Harrison, linebacker Mike Vrabel, Scarnecchia, Light, Law, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, wide receiver Troy Brown, tight end Ben Coates, tackle Bruce Armstrong, Tippett, quarterback Steve Grogan, cornerback Mike Haynes and guard John Hannah, among others.