If you're inducting the greatest quarterback of all-time into your team's Hall of Fame, there's only one to do it: BIG!
New England inducted franchise legend Tom Brady into the Patriots Hall of Fame in an epic two-and-a-half-hour event on Wednesday. Following a 20-year career with the Patriots, during which he led the team to six Super Bowl championships, Brady became the 35th player inducted into the team's Hall of Fame grandiose ceremony in front of a sold-out Gillette Stadium.
In September, Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft announced that he was waiving the four-year grace period to induct Brady immediately into the Hall of Fame at Patriot Place. Since then, the organization has been planning an event worthy of honoring the GOAT.
Brady was joined by over 100 former teammates, coaches, and Patriots front office personnel, past and present. The list of notable guests was a lengthy one including Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Randy Moss, Willie McGinest, Devin McCourty, Vince Wilfork, Ty Law, James White, Wes Welker, Danny Amendola, Kevin Faulk, Matthew Slater, Dan Koppen, Logan Mankins, Matt Cassel, Brian Hoyer, Drew Bledsoe, Rob Ninkovich, Patrick Chung, Matt Light, Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, and current Patriots captain David Andrews.
Several former members of the Patriots coaching staff, such as fellow Patriots Hall of Famer Dante Scarnecchia, Josh McDaniels, Ivan Fears, Bill O'Brien, Matt Patricia, Nick Caserio, and, of course, former head coach Bill Belichick, were present. Current head coach Jerod Mayo, skill development coach Troy Brown, and Matthew Slater also attended.
Although it would be great to name all the Patriots celebs in attendance, the list of notable Patriots figures goes on and on – deserved, and then some.
After taking in a fitting conclusion to the greatest career in NFL history, here are the best moments from Tom Brady's excellent Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Wednesday night:
My Name is HOV: Jay-Z Introduces the GOAT with Public Service Announcement
The first sound Brady and Patriots fans heard in Gillette Stadium was the tune of Public Service Announcement by Jay-Z. Then, as the smoke settled, HOV was in the flesh.
Jay-Z performed live for the 60,000 strong as Brady walked out of the south end zone tunnel. For those unfamiliar, Brady's pre-game ritual was to run down the left sideline from the north end zone toward the six championship banners. When Brady reached the far end zone, he'd roared, "Let's go" while punching the air. The song became synonymous with Brady's greatness, producing an outstanding moment to kick things off.
For all the nostalgic Patriots fans who grew to love Brady's rituals, Jay-Z brought the house down. However, HOV wasn't the only big-time celebrity performer who took the stage. Comedian and Bostonian Bill Burr also had a few sets to lighten the mood, and country music legend Kenny Chesney also serenaded the crowd toward the end of the night with "Boys of Fall."
Patriots Fans Still Hate the Giants, Eli Manning, and a Current QB Chasing the GOAT
Following a panel discussion with Patriots greats Ty Law, Willie McGinest, Vince Wilfork, and Devin McCourty, the Gillette Stadium video boards played a tribute video with messages from other NFL legends. Some, such as former Ravens safety Ed Reed, received cheers, but three players in particular were not greeted kindly by the Gillette Stadium crowd.
The first two names won't surprise you: Eli Manning and Michael Strahan. We'll always be bitter; it's fair. However, the loudest boos from the crowd were for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes won his third Super Bowl in February, sparking debates about Mahomes possibly coming for Brady's throne as the greatest of all-time. This crowd did not want to see the three-time Super Bowl champ – shocker.
Shades of Larry Bird-Magic Johnson: Peyton Manning Surprises Brady with Appearance
When discussions began about honoring Brady with his own night, the organization used Larry Bird's jersey retirement ceremony at the old Boston Garden as a blueprint.
One of the highlights for Bird was being joined on stage by rival Magic Johnson. Bird vs. Magic was the 1980s NBA version of Brady vs. Manning. During his Hall of Fame career, Brady went 11-6 against Manning. Some of Brady's signature wins came in the postseason against Manning, and Manning got Brady back during his Denver days. Still, the two NFL legends have become great friends over the years amidst a healthy rivalry, much like Bird and Magic.
Speaking about his admiration for Manning, Brady pointed to the former Colts and Broncos quarterback's ability to be a field general at the line of scrimmage. Brady said he tried to "emulate" Manning's mental skills in reading defenses, adding that into his game.
The Brady-Manning rivalry is one of the greatest rivalries in sports history. As a fan, the Patriots success was even sweeter because Brady had a worthy adversary in Manning.
The QB Room: Former OC Josh McDaniels, Drew Bledsoe, Brian Hoyer, and Matt Cassel
To be a fly on the wall when this group gets together to talk ball. Maybe it's just me, but seeing the Patriots quarterbacks and braintrust on the stage together was fantastic. Those QB rooms were stacked for years while McDaniels orchestrated some of the best offenses in NFL history. A massive piece of that success was Brady, obviously, but they were still great.
The funniest moment came when Bledsoe, who is on a heater lately, jokingly called Brady the worst quarterback of all time: "You never understood that when I got healthy, you were supposed to go sit the hell down." Along with the Brady roast on Netflix, Drew is on fire.
The Playmakers Take Center-Stage: Gronk, Moss, Edelman, and Welker
Although it was all gravy, one of the best moments came when Brady was joined by his top playmakers over the years: Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, and Wes Welker.
In a completely organic moment, the Gillette Stadium crowd gave Moss a roaring standing ovation. The whole stadium was shaking in applause, which lasted for a while. Moss was moved to tears as the crowd saluted him. Hopefully, the clip above does it justice because someone was cutting onions. It was absolutely tremendous.
Former HC Bill Belichick Returns to Gillette Stadium to Honor Brady
After mutually agreeing to part ways with the organization earlier this year, six-time Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick returned to Gillette Stadium to give Brady his flowers.
Brady's ceremony wouldn't be complete without the greatest coach of all-time present, and what a moment, as Brady led the crowd in a standing ovation. Belichick couldn't even begin his speech for several minutes because the crowd continued to cheer. Deserved, and then some.
The former Patriots head coach then named a series of his favorite Brady plays, from his walk-off touchdown pass to Troy Brown in the Miami heat to his seam pass to Gronk to set up the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 53. Belichick also pointed out how few "bad plays" Brady had over the years, another testament to his greatness.
Belichick also told a fantastic story about Brady and himself playing the Pebble Beach Pro-AM. Brady insisted on playing a ball on the side of the cliff on the course. Belichick said the whole season flashed before his eyes, calling it one of Brady's "few bad decisions."
My only request after Brady night: let's do it all again for Belichick when the time is right.
Robert Kraft Retires Tom Brady's No. 12, Announces Brady Statue
Okay, so we buried the lede here. Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft broke news before putting Brady's red jacket on him for the first time. Kraft announced that the No. 12 is now officially retired, never to be worn again. The Patriots will also unveil a 12-foot-tall statue that will stand in the plaza outside the team's Hall of Fame and Pro Shop. The statue will be unveiled during the 2024 season, possibly foreshadowing another Brady return to Foxboro. The statue will be the first of its kind for a former Patriot, as was the in-stadium retirement ceremony.
Tom Brady Ends a Perfect Night With a Heartfelt Speech
Brady capped off the night wearing his red jacket as he addressed the crowd. Brady took time to thank fans, coaches, and teammates. However, the best moment of his speech came when he addressed Coach Belichick. In an emphatic statement, Brady said: "It wasn't me, it wasn't you, it was us." Brady added there wasn't another coach he'd rather play for than Belichick. Every Patriots fan has to feel great about Brady and Belichick being back together again.
Brady ended his speech by saying the following words: "I am Tom Brady and I'm a Patriot." End credits.
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
