In front of a packed and sold-out Gillette Stadium, the Patriots pulled out all the stops to celebrate the most decorated player in NFL history.
In front of a packed and sold-out Gillette Stadium, the Patriots pulled out all the stops to celebrate the most decorated player in NFL history.
More than 200 former teammates and dozens of former coaches, including Bill Belichick, came back for an event Wednesday night to induct Tom Brady into the franchise’s Hall of Fame. He became the first player to have the typical four-year waiting period waived.
The event included plenty of A-listers and celebrities who were billed as surprise guests to honor the seven-time Super Bowl winner who won six of those titles with New England. Jay-Z began the show by playing “Public Service Announcement,” the song Brady came out to every home game.
On a night of surprises, the most meaningful reveal came when the team announced that Brady’s famous No. 12 jersey would be retired by the franchise. His number is the eighth that the franchise has retired and the first since offensive tackle Bruce Armstrong in 2001. Owner Robert Kraft also announced that the Patriots will place a 12-foot bronze statue of Brady outside Gillette Stadium.
Bill Belichick expressed his appreciation for Tom Brady during the quarterback’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony speech.
“Thank you for all you have done for us. Thank you for all you’ve done for me.”
Mike Tirico, the voice of “NBC Sunday Night Football,” was the host for the event. Comedian Bill Burr kicked off the festivities with an opening set. There were several roundtables with former teammates, and Belichick, who made his first return to Gillette Stadium since his split from the team, had a chance to take the mic and speak about Brady.
Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Rob Gronkowski, Matthew Slater, and Wes Welker were among Brady’s former teammates to attend the event.
