Outside of the entrance to Gillette Stadium, where legends were born and a dynasty was forged, a larger-than-life monument now stands to immortalize the man responsible for much of it.
The Patriots unveiled a towering statue of Tom Brady on Friday, honoring the quarterback whose two-decade reign turned New England into the epicenter of football excellence.
"It is the honor of my life to be officially enshrined into the legacy of this amazing organization," Brady said last June at his Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony -- a sold-out stadium event that saw fans, teammates, coaches, and celebrities all come together in celebration of the greatest football player who ever lived.
"I am Tom Brady, and I am a Patriot."
It was at his Hall of Fame ceremony on June 12, 2024, where Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft announced plans for the statue. Exactly one year later, Kraft revealed that the statue would be unveiled ahead of New England's preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Aug. 8, with Brady present for the honor.
"Last year, we commissioned a local sculptor to create a larger-than-life, bronze statue to perpetuate the legendary legacy of this once-in-a-lifetime player," Kraft stated proudly to a crowd of 60,000 fans present at Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Kraft also announced the franchise would retire Brady's iconic No. 12 jersey.
The statue, which is the first the team has built for any player, will be 12 feet tall.
The statue stands in the plaza just outside the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX and is meant to stand alone to symbolize the gravity of what Brady means to the organization.
Many players who came before him stood in the same plaza for their own Patriots Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremonies, though the team strayed from that tradition last year to waive its typical four-year waiting period and give the G.O.A.T. his red jacket sooner.
Going forward after Friday, fans won't be able to enter the Hall of Fame to take in the team's history without strolling by the shadow of his greatness -- a reminder that all six Super Bowl banners that hang above the end zone at Gillette Stadium wouldn't have been possible without him.
Brady's career with the Patriots was unparalleled.
Once a 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, the five-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player defied all expectations and overcame all limitations to redefine success in the NFL.
Across 23 seasons, three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he started in 333 regular season matchups and 48 playoff games – the most of any NFL quarterback – with 278 wins overall, another league record unlikely to be touched for years to come.
The three-time NFL MVP holds the league records for completions (7,753), pass attempts (12,050), passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649).
By way of seven Super Bowls -- six for New England -- Brady set a new standard in the region while bringing joy and unity across all six states and far beyond. For years, Patriots fans watched Tom Brady command the field with poise, precision, and unprecedented passion.
Now, they'll watch him stand forever -- cast in bronze, a symbol of an era that changed everything.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
