Patriots
“Tom wasn’t simply the face of our franchise; he was the heartbeat. It’s onerous to overstate what Tom achieved.”
FOXBOROUGH — After creating loads of recollections in Foxborough for 20 years, Patriots legend Tom Brady was immortalized outdoors of Gillette Stadium on Friday evening.
Hours earlier than New England opened its preseason in opposition to the Commanders, the Patriots unveiled a 12-foot statue of Brady outdoors of the crew’s Corridor of Fame — with the legendary quarterback available for the ceremony.
The statue — which is made out of bronze — options Brady together with his proper arm raised and his left arm clutching his helmet. In whole, the statue and pedestal prime out at 17 toes, honoring the 17 AFC East crowns that Brady gained as a starter.
The pedestal additionally options six sides that commemorate the six Tremendous Bowl titles that he delivered to the six states in New England.
“Tom Brady’s journey proves that it’s not the place you begin, however the place you end that counts,” Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft mentioned in his opening handle earlier than the statue was formally unveiled. “His NFL journey ascended from the 199th general choice to the best of all time. He demanded excellence of himself and made everybody round him higher.
“Tom wasn’t simply the face of our franchise; he was the heartbeat. It’s onerous to overstate what Tom achieved. He didn’t simply rewrite the file books, he virtually authored a brand new quantity. This statue ensures his legacy will probably be preserved for generations to return.”
The statue was designed and crafted by Jeff Buccacio, proprietor of Buccacio Sculpture Companies. In line with Kraft, Buccacio and his workers invested over 20,000 hours of labor to create the sculpture.
After trying over the statue with Kraft, Brady — talking in entrance of hundreds packed into Patriot Place Plaza — expressed gratitude for his 20 years in New England.
“I’ve mentioned this earlier than, however I need to say it once more. I’m humbled and honored to have been a part of this group for 20 unimaginable years,” Brady mentioned. “You guys formed my life and the lifetime of my household, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.
“I hope I’ve given to you as a lot as you’ve gotten given to me. Thanks, New England. I like you. And let’s get able to kick off the 2025 NFL season. Let’s go!”
Friday’s ceremony has been within the works for over a 12 months, as Kraft introduced plans to build a statue of Brady during his Hall-of-Fame induction ceremony in June 2024.
The Patriots’ determination to construct a monument to Brady held loads of advantage, given his spectacular resume in New England.
Drafted 199th general within the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady established himself as the best quarterback in NFL historical past and one of many main architects of New England’s two-decade dynasty that featured six Tremendous Bowl titles.
Over Brady’s 18 full seasons because the Patriots’ starter, the Patriots gained 17 division titles and superior to the AFC Championship Recreation 13 instances.
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