By Matthew Davis
Tom Brady brought six Super Bowl championship trophies to the New England Patriots, and the organization has, in turn, cast his legacy in a statue.
Brady, 48, led the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances between 2001 and 2019 before he finished his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2020 to 2023.
“I feel extremely honored, deeply grateful and, if I’m being honest, kind of old,” Brady told fans at the unveiling ceremony on Friday.
“I’m also a little surprised because usually they don’t build statues until you’re really old, like [Mike] Vrabel and [Tedy] Bruschi.”
Brady poked fun at the current Patriots head coach, Vrabel, who played with Brady during the first three Super Bowl wins.
Vrabel’s Patriots routed the Washington Commanders 48–18 in a preseason game after the ceremony. Bruschi, who also played with Brady during that first round of championships, was one of many former players in attendance.
A sixth-round draft pick out of Michigan in 2000, Brady burst on the scene in 2001 when former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury.
History was then made with Brady winning three MVP awards and five Super Bowl MVPs. He also led the league in passing five times, made 15 Pro Bowls, and six All-Pro teams.
“Seeing myself as a statue isn’t something I could have imagined growing up,” Brady said. “When I was drafted, I just hoped to make the team.”
“I never dreamed I’d be standing here two and a half decades later, made of bronze and frozen in time.”
“It actually feels pretty appropriate given my 40-yard dash time,” Brady continued with more humor.
“In all seriousness, this is an incredible honor. I’m humbled to be here today with so many people who helped make this possible, and also, today is the first time in my life that Boston sports writers will describe me as ‘chiseled’, so that’s a major, major win.”
After Brady ribbed the sports writers, he went after one of the Patriots’ biggest rivals—the New York Jets. Brady dominated the Jets during his career with a 31–8 record, and he dominated the whole AFC East as the Patriots won 17 division titles during Brady’s time in Foxboro.
“But in the end, this statue isn’t just for Pats fans. It’ll also give all the Jets fans something to throw their beers at as they leave the stadium every year, probably in the second quarter, maybe the third,” Brady joked.
Brady then talked about his former head coach Bill Belichick, who coached Brady in New England for 20 seasons. Belichick led the Patriots from 2000 to 2023, and he returned to coaching this year at the University of North Carolina.
“As for the statue itself, Jeff Buccacio, you and your team did an incredible job. Seriously, it is so accurate, so detailed. Hold on one sec,” Brady said as he held up his cell phone playfully.
“Hello? Really? Okay. Sorry, Jeff. That was Coach Belichick. He said there’s still room for improvement. I know the feeling.”
Joking aside, Brady acknowledged that his achievements couldn’t have happened without the teams Belichick assembled and coached. New England never had a losing season between 2001 and 2019 with Brady under center and Belichick on the sideline.
“Look, I know what this statue represents. It’s not about one guy. It never is. It never has been. And in football, it never will be,” Brady said.
“It’s about a team and a commitment to being great together.”
“I said this before, but I want to say it again,” Brady said in his concluding remarks.
“I’m humbled and honored to have been part of this organization for 20 incredible years. You guys shaped my life and the life of my family, and for that, I’m forever grateful. I hope I’ve given to you as much as you have given to me.”
Since retirement from football, Brady has been involved in numerous business ventures, part ownership with the Las Vegas Raiders, and broadcasting with FOX.
