Check out the best images from the Patriots season opening game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, September 10, 2015.
New England Patriots fan Clayton Witham, from Maine, holds up lobsters he brought as he spends time tailgating with friend in the parking lot before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo, left, and Tom Brady take the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo, left, and Tom Brady take the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady takes the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers , Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady takes the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady takes the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady reacts as he takes the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady takes the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady takes the field for warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) speaks with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, rear, before an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) speaks with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, rear, before an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady watches warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree (48) tackles New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) scrambles in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) shakes off Pittsburgh Steelers safety Robert Golden (21) as he heads for a touchdown after catching a pass in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) shakes off Pittsburgh Steelers safety Robert Golden (21) as he heads for a touchdown after catching a pass in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) runs from Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Antwon Blake (41) as he heads for a touchdown after catching a pass in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski celebrates his touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates his touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) wraps up Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) wraps up Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) despite a block by Steelers guard Cody Wallace (72) in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick calls a time out in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, talks with tight end Rob Gronkowski on the sideline in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shouts on the sideline in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
New England Patriots tight end Scott Chandler, right, celebrates his touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski watches action from the sideline in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
The ball comes loose as the Pittsburgh Steelers wrap up New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis (33) in the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots recovered. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense during the NFL football kickoff game at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 in Foxborough, Mass. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (88) walk off the field together post game at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 28-21. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (left) shakes hands with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick after the NFL football kickoff game at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 28-21. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New England Patriots strong safety Patrick Chung (23) and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (88) pose for a photo post game at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 28-21. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) scores a touchdown against Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Mike Mitchell (23) during the NFL football kickoff game at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 in Foxborough, Mass. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New England Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona on the sideline in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady smiles before speaking to the media after an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 28-21. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks to the media after an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 28-21. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, speaks with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 28-21. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Whether sprinting out of the tunnel for warmups, watching former teammates and the Patriots owner carrying Lombardi Trophies, or tearing apart the Steelers, Tom Brady relished every moment of this NFL season opener.
"It was a pretty special night," said Brady, who threw for four touchdowns, three to favorite target Rob Gronkowski, in a 28-21 victory Thursday night over undermanned and generally ineffective Pittsburgh. "I was excited, our whole team was excited. We haven't had one of these games in a long time."
It was as if he never was away. Of course, he never really was, and with "Deflategate" behind him, the star quarterback was back to his unstoppable self, going 25 of 32 for 288 yards.
"It's always fun being out there and getting an opportunity to go play," added Brady, whose 161 victories are tops for a starting quarterback with one franchise in NFL history. He set a team-record with 19 straight completions; and he had his 23rd game with four or more touchdown passes, third all-time along with Brett Favre.
"We took advantage of it. It was a good win."
His four-game league suspension overturned by a federal judge one week ago, the three-time Super Bowl MVP was in midseason - or postseason - form. He led drives of 90 and 64 yards for scores on passes to Gronkowski. Gronkowski also recovered a fumble by running back Dion Lewis at the Pittsburgh 1 before his final TD.
"Anytime they don't cover Gronk, he usually gets it," Brady noted with a smile.
Gronkowski insisted this night was all about Brady.
"Everything he's been going through all offseason, he just came out and he was on fire," Gronkowski said. "I don't know his stats or anything, but he was hitting all of the open guys, reading the defense well, calling the right plays.
"He's just unreal."
Showing some love for his other tight end, newcomer Scott Chandler, Brady hit him for a 1-yard score to cap an 80-yard march with the second-half kickoff.
The outcome added to a festive mood at Gillette Stadium, despite persistent showers that didn't bother the home team. Before kickoff, the Patriots unveiled their fourth championship banner as owner Robert Kraft and former players Troy Brown, Willie McGinest and Ty Law carried out New England's four Super Bowl trophies.
Fourth-quarter crowd chants of "Where is Roger?" mocked Commissioner Roger Goodell over "Deflategate." Goodell did not attend.
Neither, it seemed, did the Steel Curtain. Only occasionally did it come close to clamping down on Brady, yielding 361 yards overall. Third-stringer Lewis rushed for 69 yards, and leading receiver Julian Edelman had 11 catches for 97 yards. Gronkowski had 94 yards.
"We've got to finish a few instances better," coach Mike Tomlin said. "I thought we got a little frazzled at times. Some of the young people have got to get better in a hurry."
Minus two All-Pros on offense - running back Le'Veon Bell (suspended) and center Maurkice Pouncey (injured) - and without suspended receiver Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh moved the ball decently, gaining 464 yards. But it never really was close.
Ben Roethlisberger threw for 351 yards and a late TD to All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown. Backup DeAngelo Williams rushed for 127 yards.
Tomlin was angry after the game, complaining that coaches couldn't communicate because they were hearing the Patriots radio broadcast over their headsets. Patriots coaches also complained about similar troubles. The league said it was a temporary problem caused in part by the weather. For years, opposing teams have complained about having headset problems in Gillette Stadium.
Pittsburgh had moved the ball decisively on its first drive, but things collapsed after Brown was sacked on a trick play. The drive fizzled, with a missed 44-yarder by Josh Scobee.
Scobee, acquired on Sept. 1 from Jacksonville, also missed from 46 yards and connected from 44 and 24. But the damage was done earlier.
NOTES: Patriots DT Dominique Easley left in the first quarter with a hip injury. ... Pittsburgh lost linebacker Sean Spence to a hamstring problem, and safety Will Allen was being examined for a concussion. ... Brown, who led the league in catches and yards receiving, had nine receptions for 133 yards.
