The New England Patriots are today honouring the NFL’s greatest-ever player Tom Brady and have announced that his iconic number 12 jersey will be immortalised forever and he’ll also receive his own 12-foot statue to arrive this season.
Tom Brady announced his retirement from American football after 23 seasons, winning seven Super Bowl championships with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a career that will likely never be matched again.
Since then, Brady has enjoyed a step away from the game he played for more than two decades, investing in English football clubs and American sportswear brands to keep his competitive edge razor-sharp. But now, in a Hall of Fame Ceremony at the Patriot’s Foxborough home, the NFL GOAT returns to receive his team’s highest honour, joining an illustrious group of players.
RELATED: Inside Michael Jordan’s Insane Google-Style $24 Million Headquarters For 23XI Racing NASCAR Team
It was the first time that Brady had been honoured by the team where he spent most of his career, as players usually wait for four years after their final game for their legacy to be enshrined in NFL history. But for a special player like Brady, Patriots CEO Robert Kraft waived this age-old rule.
In addition to the prestigious honour of being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame, joining legends such as John Hannah and Andre Tippett, the 46-year-old would also have his iconic number 12 immortalised forever.
“Tonight, I promise that it will never be worn again as the number 12 is now, officially retired,” Robert Kraft said.
Brady struck a teary figure during the ceremony, surrounded by friends and loved ones, as well as more than 100 of his former teammates including Julian Edelman, Randy Moss, Rob Gronkowski, Willie McGinest, Devin McCourty and more.
Kraft also announced that for the first time in history, Brady would receive a statue at the team’s Massachusetts stadium.