BOSTON — New England Patriots past and present took center stage Friday night in the Tom Brady Best Buddies Football Challenge at Harvard Stadium.
Patriots wide receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola and running backs Dion Lewis and James White all took part in Brady’s annual charity flag football game. Edelman and White suited up for Team Shaw’s/Star Market, while Amendola and Lewis took the side of Team Pepsi.
Brady, naturally, played quarterback for both teams.
Great night at Harvard Stadium for the Tom Brady Football Challenge with @BestBuddiesMA! pic.twitter.com/oEjEBCBUM1
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) June 2, 2017
Brady's deep ball is in midseason form. pic.twitter.com/bj4fqEU29g
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) June 2, 2017
Ex-Patriots Scott Zolak, Dan Koppen and Jermaine Wiggins all participated, as well, as did supermodel (and girlfriend of Amendola) Olivia Culpo and celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Lewis caught a touchdown pass from Brady as time expired to give Team Pepsi an 80-74 victory.
Tom Brady and Guy Fieri. Name a more iconic duo. #youcant pic.twitter.com/er5LTVh9Gq
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) June 2, 2017
Brady did not address the media at the event, which was part of the weekend-long Best Buddies Challenge, but he did grab the mic for a brief postgame speech. He gave Edelman the award for “worst drop of the game” and his 9-year-old son, Jack, the honor of “best catch.”
Jack Brady really wanted this sack on his pops. Didn't quite have the gas. pic.twitter.com/QiF2fZfugR
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) June 2, 2017
During a halftime ceremony, Foxwoods Casino presented a $100,000 check to Best Buddies International, an organization “dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Thumbnail photo via Zack Cox/NESN.com