FOXBORO, Mass. — Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction represented a culmination of two decades of success.
It wouldn’t be fair to expect the same from rookie quarterback Drake Maye and the rebuilding Patriots.
But there are still a few things Maye, Christian Gonzalez, Christian Barmore, Mike Onwenu, Ja’Lynn Polk and other franchise cornerstones can glean from the unprecedented event at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday night.
The first? Patriots fans are a passionate bunch.
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Patriots owner Robert Kraft said there were more than 60,000 fans in attendance for the in-stadium celebration. It was an incredible way to honor the legendary signal-caller who brought six Lombardi Trophies to One Patriot Place.
Patriots fans proved they will cherish you if dedicate yourself to the team, play the game the right way and maybe, just maybe, win a championship or two.
Because while longtime Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Brady received the loudest of ovations, they weren’t the only ones to receive such treatment. You could say the same for Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, who insanely never won a ring in New England, Drew Bledsoe, Troy Brown and Deion Branch, James White and Kevin Faulk, along with just about everyone who took the stage.
The ovations for Boston sports legends like David Ortiz, Patrice Bergeron and Paul Pierce, who had their congratulatory remarks aired on the jumbotron, told the same story.
NBC Sports broadcaster Mike Tirico, who hosted the event, said there were more than 100 of Brady’s former teammates to attend the first-of-its-kind Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony. While walking the red carpet Wednesday evening, those teammates, including many of the aforementioned names, said it was an honor to be there.
They all agreed Brady was the only one who could bring everyone together. And they agreed Brady’s humility and genuineness during their playing days were among the reasons it was a no-brainer to support him.
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“The teammates and coaches are here because of who you are, not because of what you did,” Bledsoe said.
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That should serve as another lesson to the youthful Patriots: Being a good teammate matters. Those who know Maye, specifically, indicate that will not be a problem for the third overall pick.
It’s not only about those traits, of course. Brady achieved everything he did because he possessed unrivaled competitiveness and drive to succeed. He worked harder than everyone else for nearly two decades. The stories are well-documented.
That, too, would be unfair to put on Maye and other young Patriots. Brady’s work ethic and attention to detail might never be matched.
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But if the cornerstone pieces of Jerod Mayo’s teams take those lessons away from Brady’s ceremony, they’ll be in a better place entering the future.
Featured image via New England Patriots
