Tom Brady Says He's 'Overwhelmed with Gratitude' as He’s Inducted into Patriots Hall of Fame

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame on Wednesday, June 12, in honor of the NFL legend and his 20 seasons with the team.

Brady, who officially retired from the NFL in 2023, is the 35th Patriots player to be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, Brady spoke about his illustrious football career with New England, saying he was “overwhelmed with gratitude and a deep sense of honor.”

“Relationships are built on shared experience, and the most important things in my life are my relationships. I really 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 speak? The answer is simple: You can’t,” he said.

Brady thanked some of his loved ones, including his parents, calling them “my rock, my foundation.” Speaking of his children, he said: “Your daddy loves you more than anything in this world. Your smiles outshine the morning sun. And where I live now, it’s a pretty bright sun. There’s no greater joy than watching you three grow up and teach me things on your way to becoming an amazing young adult.”

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick was also present at the induction ceremony with kind words for his former quarterback.

(L-R) Tom Brady, Robert Kraft, Dana Blumberg.

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“It was a tremendous honor and privilege to choose Tom and coach him for 20 years. As we heard from many of his teammates, his pursuit of excellence, his work ethic, drive, competitiveness, everything he brought to Dream, it was truly an honor to be a part of it. in that,” he said.

Belichick added that Brady “is a model for consistency, reliability and always doing the right thing, saying that his “determination and relentless pursuit of excellence is beyond anything I’ve seen from [the quarterback] position.”

Tom Brady before the game on November 17, 2019.

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Players typically wait four years after retirement before being inducted, but Patriots president and CEO Robert Kraft announced in September 2023 that Brady’s grace period would be waived and his No. 12 jersey would be retired, according to the Patriots’ website.

Kraft spoke highly of Brady’s leadership on and off the field, stating, “You’ve instilled a level of confidence that just didn’t exist before your arrival, not only with your coaches and teammates but with Patriots fans everywhere.”

Tom Brady. Maddie Meyer/Getty

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Before retiring, Brady asked for a two-year, $50 million contract after the 2019-2020 season, which the Patriots declined to offer. Instead, Brady decided to become a free agent and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the same amount in March 2020. He played his final three NFL seasons with Tampa Bay, winning his seventh Super Bowl in 2021 with the team.

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Source: HIS Education