Tom Brady Inducted Into New England Patriots Hall Of Fame, Reflects On Storied Career

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady was officially inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame on Wednesday, June 12, marking a monumental moment in his illustrious career. Tom, who retired from the NFL in 2023, became the 35th player to receive this honor from the Patriots, commemorating his 20 remarkable seasons with the team.

During the induction ceremony, he expressed deep gratitude and honor for his time with New England. “Relationships are built on shared experience, and the most meaningful things in my life are my relationships,” Brady said. “I truly wish I had more time; I wish I had more time to give you all. So, how do I sum up two decades in New England in one short speech? The answer is simple: You can’t.”

Tom took a moment to thank his loved ones, highlighting his parents, whom he called “my rock, my foundation,” and his children. 

“Your dad loves you more than anything in this world. Your smiles outshine the morning sun. And where I live now, that’s a pretty brilliant sun. There’s no greater joy than watching the three of you grow and teach me things on your way to becoming incredible young adults,” he said of his children.

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick also attended the ceremony, praising Tom’s excellence and dedication. “It was a tremendous honor and privilege to draft Tom and coach him for 20 years,” Bill said. 

“As we’ve heard from so many of his teammates, his pursuit of excellence, his work ethic, the drive, the competitiveness, everything he brought to the dream, it was really an honor for me to be involved with that,” he stated.

Bill described Tom as “a model for consistency, dependability, and for always doing the right thing,” emphasizing his “determination and relentless pursuit of excellence” as unparalleled in the quarterback position.

Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft waived the usual four-year waiting period for Hall of Fame induction and announced that Tom’s No. 12 jersey would be retired. Robert praised Tom’s leadership on and off the field, saying, “You instilled a level of confidence that simply didn’t exist before your arrival, not only in your coaches and teammates but Patriot fans everywhere.”

Before retiring, Tom had a notable shift in his career when the Patriots declined his request for a two-year contract worth $50 million after the 2019-2020 season. Instead, he became a free agent and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020, playing his final three NFL seasons with them and winning his seventh Super Bowl in 2021.