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Victor Petkov
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Patriots retire Brady’s No. 12 jersey after Hall of Fame induction
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60,000 people attended the ceremony at Gillette Stadium

The New England Patriots honored Tom Brady by inducting him into their Hall of Fame in a ceremony full of surprises and heartfelt tributes.

Team owner Robert Kraft announced that the Patriots would retire Brady’s iconic No. 12 jersey and commission a 12-foot-tall bronze statue of the quarterback. This statue, set to be installed during the 2024 season, will stand alone in the plaza outside the Hall of Fame to signify Brady’s unparalleled status not just in franchise history, but in NFL history.

The induction ceremony drew a massive crowd of 60,000 at the Patriots’ home stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The three-hour event featured appearances by many of Brady’s former teammates and Patriots’ former head coach Bill Belichick. This marked Belichick’s first return to Foxborough since resigning at the end of last season.

Brady expressed his gratitude to everyone present, declaring, “I am eternally grateful. I am Tom Brady. And I am a Patriot.” He specifically praised Belichick, saying, “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t you. It was us. … Let me make this crystal clear: There is no coach in the world I would rather play for than Bill Belichick.”

During his 20 years with the Patriots, Brady, under Belichick’s leadership, led the team to six Super Bowl championships. He added another title to his illustrious career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Belichick, welcomed by cheers from Patriots fans, expressed his appreciation for Brady, saying, “Thank you for all that you’ve done for us. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. And thank you for the example and motto you’ve been for all of us on a daily basis for 20 years. Congratulations.”