Tom Brady went out of the tunnel in front of a roaring New England crowd one more time on Sunday, thanking Patriots fans for “another day in this stadium that I will never forget.”
Brady took the field at halftime of the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, with the six Super Bowl trophies he won for New England behind him, and declared himself “a Patriot for life.” Following his speech, the stadium sound system played the Bon Jovi song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”
“Nobody could have imagined 23 years ago that this journey would bring us here today,” said Brady, a sixth-round draft pick who went on to win three NFL MVP awards and five Super Bowl MVPs while leading New England to 17 division victories in 19 seasons.
“Our lives take us on many paths. “They take us to different places and bring different people into our lives,” said Brady, who spent the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “But one thing is certain, and it will never change: I am a Patriot for life.”
Brady, the No. 199 overall pick in the 2000 draft, took over as starter in his second season after former No. 1 overall pick Drew Bledsoe was hurt. Brady led the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory that year and five more over the next two decades, including three more AFC victories.
However, his relationship with coach Bill Belichick deteriorated as the two clashed behind the scenes about who deserved credit for the NFL’s most successful dynasty in Super Bowl history. Brady left the Patriots as a free agency in 2020 and led the Buccaneers to an NFL championship that season, his seventh in a row; the Patriots are 25-26 and have not won a playoff game since he left.
Brady retired as the NFL record holder in numerous of categories, including most victories, passing yards, and passing touchdowns in both the regular season and playoffs.
“Patriots fans didn’t get an opportunity to thank Tom appropriately when he left,” owner Robert Kraft said, revealing that he will waive the four-year waiting requirement and induct Brady into the team’s hall of fame next summer.
For the first time, the ceremony will be conducted inside the 65,000-seat stadium to accommodate all of the spectators who are anticipated to attend.
“I wanted to give them that opportunity,” stated Kraft. “Unfortunately, a halftime ceremony just doesn’t provide enough time to honor Tommy in the way he deserves.”
Brady made his first public appearance on Sunday, from atop the stadium’s new lighthouse, where he rang a bell to the delight of the rain-soaked crowd, signaling the start of the festivities. But the real fun began at halftime, when a new television board displayed moments from Brady’s career, beginning with the 2017 Super Bowl comeback from a 28-3 deficit.
Few supporters sought shelter from the rain at halftime, when Brady emerged from the home tunnel, unzipped his jacket to show a blue Patriots jersey, and sprinted along the sideline, exactly as he had done at the start of games throughout his career. He crossed the finish line in front of a sign that read “Brady’s Corner,” a cheering section that had been renamed “Mac Attack Corner” in honor of his successor, Mac Jones.
He hugged his children, who were dressed in Brady No. 12 jerseys — there was no trace of his ex-wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen — and thanked the fans for their support during his career.
“Today’s runout was a little longer than it used to be.” “I’m not quite game shape,” Brady admitted. “But it’s impossible for me to be in this stadium… and not run out, like I did for the past 20 years.”