Tom Brady is the clear leader of the New England Patriots’ offense, and arguably the entire team. But before Sunday, his role didn’t have an official designation. It does now.
Brady was elevated to Patriots team captain ahead of New England’s Week 11 game in San Francisco against the 49ers, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported Sunday. Brady joins tight end Rob Gronkowski, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, defensive back Devin McCourty and special teams ace Matthew Slater, as the Patriots now have five captains.
The four-time Super Bowl champion wasn’t named a captain at the beginning of the season for the first time in 14 years, likely a result of the fact that he was suspended for the first four games of the season due to Deflategate. But Brady now keeps his captain streak alive at 15 years, a distinction that has “significant meaning” to him, according to Reiss, because it is a “reflection of how teammates view him.”
It has the makings of a special Sunday for the San Mateo, Calif., native, who will make his first career start Sunday in the hometown of his childhood favorite team.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
