Tom Brady Well-Deserving Of Unprecedented Patriots Celebration

FOXBORO, Mass. — To say Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots rolled out the red carpet for Tom Brady would be an understatement.

Though, that’s literally what they did.

Brady deserved it all.

The legendary Patriots quarterback had hundreds of former teammates and coaches join him at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday night, including longtime head coach Bill Belichick. Brady’s family and friends, former opponents like Peyton Manning, and even some of the biggest stars in the entertainment industry like comedian Bill Burr, rapper Jay-Z and country singer Kenny Chesney also made the trip to the unprecedented Patriots Hall of Fame induction.

Jay-Z set the tone when he performed “Public Service Announcement,” the longtime introductory anthem when Brady ran onto the field before home games. Chesney took the stage later and performed “The Boys of Fall.”

Brady is the only person who could bring everyone together, many of his former teammates said on the red carpet.

Brady deserved of it all.

Everyone who attended agreed.

“I mean, he’s on the Mount Rushmore of athletes,” Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said on the red carpet. “He’s the best football player of all-time. You put him up there with (Michael) Jordan, him, (Wayne) Gretzky. So, he’s probably the only football player deserving of it. He’s the best of all-time.”

Former Patriots receiver Danny Amendola added: “He’s the best teammate, the best quarterback to ever play the position. It’s easy for all of us to come back and support because he was such a good teammate to us.”

Mike Tirico, NBC Sports broadcaster and host of the ceremony, confirmed there were more than 100 of Brady’s former teammates in attendance. There were also an additional 100-plus Patriots players from the past who returned to Gillette Stadium, per Tirico. Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced there were some 60,000 fans on hand, too.

Those who spoke during the ceremony, and others who shared congratulatory messages on the jumbotron, praised Brady for his excellence on the field. He’s a seven-time Super Bowl champion, six of those came during his two decades in New England, after all. He’s holds career records in wins, touchdowns, etc., etc., etc.

He’s the best player in NFL history.

Because of that, Brady deserved it all.

But Brady’s former teammates, as has been stressed previously, spoke more about his genuineness, friendship and constant willingness to be a good teammate. His dedication to them previously made it easy for them to show up.

“The teammates and coaches are here because of who you are, not because of what you did,” Drew Bledsoe said.

For that reason, too, Brady deserved it all.