Tom Brady’s statue unveiled outside Gillette Stadium before Patriots’ preseason opener

Tom Brady was honored with a statue unveiling outside Gillette Stadium on Friday, ahead of the New England Patriots’ preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. The bronze monument commemorates the legendary quarterback’s two-decade career with the team.

Now, he has become the first player in franchise history to be honored with a statue.

Brady, who led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles and cemented his legacy as one of the NFL’s greatest players, attended the ceremony alongside former teammates, coaches, and fans.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft praised Brady’s leadership, work ethic, and unmatched competitive spirit. The statue now stands as a permanent tribute to his impact on the franchise and New Patriots’ sports history.

“May this statue forever remind us what Tom Brady did and how he made us all feel,” Kraft said.
“This is quite overwhelming to me,” Brady said in his speech.
“I feel extremely honored, deeply grateful and if I’m being honest, kind of old. I’m also a little surprised, because usually they don’t build statues until you’re really old, like (Mike) Vrabel and (Tedy) Bruschi.”
Vrabel, Brady’s teammate from 2001 to 2008 and now in his debut season as Patriots head coach, was among the crowd for the unveiling.
“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 further said.

The crowd gathered outside the Patriots Hall of Fame for the unveiling broke into repeated chants of “Brady! Brady! Brady!” throughout the 20-minute ceremony.

Drafted 199th in 2000, Brady became the face of the Patriots dynasty, winning six Super Bowls in New England and a seventh with Tampa Bay.