The New England Patriots have announced that the team will be honoring legendary quarterback Tom Brady in its home opener at Gillette Stadium.
The game is going to take place during Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Tom Brady will be in attendance for the Super Bowl rematch. The Patriots are calling it the, “Thank You Tom Game.”
The Patriots announced the game on Twitter.
Famously, Tom Brady was drafted 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. In his second season, starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was severely injured and Brady took over as his replacement. He never looked back, leading New England to the Super Bowl that season.
Over the course of his time in New England, Tom Brady won six Super Bowls and three MVPs. It was there that he established himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
Following the 2019 season, Tom Brady left New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There, he added another Super Bowl while the Patriots have struggled to find a replacement for him at quarterback, slipping from the ranks of the NFL’s elite teams in the process.
As part of the announcement, Patriots owner Robert Kraft praised the now-retired quarterback.
“The greatest player in the history of the game played right here in Foxboro, and I’m happy to tell you…I invited him back to come here and be with us at the opening game,” Kraft said.
This, of course, won’t be Tom Brady’s first time returning to Gillette Stadium. In 2021, he returned with Tampa Bay and beat New England in a close 19-17 game.
Tom Brady on the possibility of returning to play for Miami
The Patriots are honoring Tom Brady now that his career is over. However, Brady has been connected to New England’s Week 2 opponent, the Miami Dolphins. Before going to Tampa Bay, Brady nearly went to Miami and the Dolphins have been punished for tampering.
Recently, Brady was asked about the possibility of coming out of retirement to play for Miami. He responded with a strange answer.
“I will say now that I’m not affiliated with any team anymore, even though I have strong ties with a couple teams,” Tom Brady said. “I do have some friends on the Dolphins that I really like. So, I wouldn’t say I necessarily root for them all the time, but I root for my friends to do well, and several of them play for Miami.”
That’s a bit of a strange answer from Tom Brady. He never really said if he would or wouldn’t. He only ever says that he has friends there. Then, what does it mean to say he has strong ties with a couple of teams? Until Brady clarifies what he meant, speculation will likely run wild.
