Here’s Everything Tom Brady Said During Patriots Ceremony

Tom Brady made his return to Gillette Stadium on Sunday for a proper reunion with the New England Patriots and fans.

During halftime of New England’s Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the soon-to-be team Hall of Famer took the stage to address the crowd in Foxboro.

“What a day,” Brady said to the Gillette Stadium audience. “I’m not quite in game shape, but it’s impossible for me to be in this stadium full of you amazing fans, with some of the best teammates, with family, with all my friends to not run out like I did for 20 years. This is an incredible celebration for me, for our family, for my teammates. For all of us to come back and thank you guys for what you’ve done for us.”

The quarterback reflected on what the Patriots were like when he arrived in 2000. With plenty of success since then, New England has gained a bit more recognition in 2023.

“I was so fortunate to be drafted here two decades ago, 23 years to be exact,” Brady recalled. “Not even knowing where New England was on the map. Not that we put it on the map, but I think a lot more people in the U.S. know where the New England Patriots play.”

Brady also took time to thank a number of key figures around the Patriots organization, including owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick.

“Thank you RKK (Robert Kraft), JAK (Jonathan Kraft) and the Kraft Family,” Brady said. “Coach Belichick, all the staff, the coaches, my teammates, the staff, you fans. Nobody 23 years ago would imagine that this journey would bring us here today. We had six championships. We had a lot of countless memories in this stadium.”

In the midst of a rainy day at Gillette Stadium, No. 12 admired the atmosphere of a classic weather day in New England.

“Celebrating wins against great teams in Foxboro weather like today where we love seeing the opponents come in and be a little worried about what the conditions were going to be like.”

For Brady, 20 years of success did not come without challenges. From three Super Bowl losses to his 2016 suspension, the obstacles made New England stronger.

“We dealt with whatever came our way,” Brady said. “We dealt with a lot of adversities that toughen us up. We as a team represented you guys every time we took the field.”

Brady exemplified the value of a team player over the years and reaffirmed how the Patriots relied on each other to consistently compete as the league’s best team.

“It’s one of my core beliefs,” Brady said. “There’s nothing in life that can be accomplished as an individual. It’s always about the team. We built a team, a culture of teammates that cared about each other. They cared about each other and they cared about winning. If you didn’t care about those two things, you did not last here very long and we were very happy to play against you.

“So, I think we proved to America what teamwork is all about,” Brady continued. “We proved believing in each other, belief in playing for this community and belief in playing for a common mission. We were able to put up six of those banners and celebrate them in this stadium.”

Despite leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to close his career, the 46-year-old left no doubt how he feels about his role as a Patriot.

“All our lives take us on different journeys,” Brady said. “They take us to different places. They bring different people into our lives but one thing I am sure, and that will never change, is that I am a Patriot for life.

“Thank you guys for an incredible day,” Brady expressed. “Thank you to my teammates, some of them I see right here. My family, my friends, my second family and all of you guys for making it another day in this stadium that I’ll never forget. I love you guys so much and I’ll see you next summer. Thank you.”