The New England Patriots made legendary quarterback Tom Brady the first-ever player in franchise history to be honored with a statue outside of Gillette Stadium.
Brady took the opportunity presented to him Friday by the one-of-a-kind honor to take a jab at one of his biggest rivals from his playing days: the New York Jets.
Brady’s dig at the Jets came a speech he gave after the statue was unveiled.
‘This statue isn’t just for Pats fans,’ Brady quipped. ‘It will also give Jets fans something to throw their beers at as they leave the stadium ever year. Probably in the second quarter. Maybe in the third.’
While the Patriots haven’t enjoyed consistent success since Brady left the team during the 2020 NFL offseason, they have continued to perform well against the Jets. New England has posted an 8-2 record against their divisional rival in five seasons without Brady.
Tom Brady statue unveiled
The Patriots unveiled the statue of Brady – with the seven-time Super Bowl champion present – ahead of their preseason Week 1 game against the Washington Commanders.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft kickstarted the ceremony by delivering a speech about Brady’s importance to the franchise.
‘Tom wasn’t just the face of our franchise,’ Kraft said. ‘He was the true heartbeat.’
After Kraft finished speaking, he began a countdown to reveal the Brady statue, which features a stoic-looking Brady holding his helmet by the facemask in his left hand. Meanwhile, his right hand is raised to the sky in exultation.
The Patriots also posted a side-by-side look of Brady and the statue on social media.
Brady called the honor ‘quite overwhelming’ and expressed gratitude to the fans for his two decades in New England.
‘Thank you so much for being here,’ Brady told the fans. ‘It means the world to me. I appreciate it. Thank you.’
Brady won six Super Bowls and three MVP awards during his 20-year career with the Patriots. He finished his career as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards (89,214), passing touchdowns (649) and quarterback wins (286, including the postseason).