The New England Patriots are one win away from earning their first Super Bowl championship without Tom Brady under center.

New England punched a ticket to Super Bowl LX with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos. After the Patriots closed off an AFC Championship Game triumph in extreme winter conditions, Brady worked the NFC Championship Game for Fox.

Near the end of the Seattle Seahawks’ 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams, Brady responded to the Patriots reclaiming the AFC throne they occupied for much of his 20-year tenure.

Drake Maye and Co. also accomplished one of the few feats that eluded Brady by winning the AFC Championship Game at Mile High. Brady’s Patriots lost two conference titles to Peyton Manning’s Broncos in Denver.

“Just so happy for Mike Vrabel,” Brady said. “Former teammate of mine, and kind of went to New England knowing … back-to-back 4-13 seasons, and they turned it into a road AFC victory over Denver. I know how hard that is.”

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Brady praised Maye and his former offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, for reigniting New England’s offense. The seven-time champion looked ahead to a tantalizing Super Bowl before knowing the NFC representative.

“Josh McDaniels has done an incredible job as coordinator,” Brady declared. “Drake Maye, that defense. This is going to be a hell of a Super Bowl matchup.”

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Had the Patriots won the AFC a year earlier, Brady would have called his former team’s Super Bowl appearance. Instead, he confirmed that he’ll attend the game as a spectator in his hometown of San Francisco.

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Brady congratulated the Patriots on winning their 12th AFC title, nine with him at the helm.

“Such an exciting achievement for all the teams that validate a lot of the things that they try to embody,” Brady said. “When you win that championship game on the road, it’s just unbelievable joy and elation.”

Featured image via Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images