New England Patriots' legendary quarterback Tom Brady had plenty of jokes during statue unveiling speech, including one jab at his AFC East division rivals.
Patriots Legend Tom Brady Takes Jab at Division Rival During Statue Unveil originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New England Patriots unveiled the first statue of a former player in franchise history outside Gillette Stadium Friday night before the team kicked off its 2025 preseason against the Washington Commanders. Six-time Patriots’ Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady is the player being honored.
The statue stands 12 feet tall with a five-foot base to resemble the 17 AFC East Division titles Brady won with the Patriots. The base of the statue has six sides, which account for Brady's six Super Bowl championships in New England.
The Patriots' legend stacked up almost every accolade you could think of throughout his 20-year career in New England, earning 15 Pro Bowl trips, six Super Bowl championships, five Super Bowl MVPs, three All-Pro honors, and three NFL MVP awards.
THE GOAT. IN BRONZE.@TomBrady | @NFLpic.twitter.com/Fm0TvQoOvH
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 8, 2025
"For two decades, Tom Brady made Patriots feel invincible. His story wasn't scripted. It was earned. Every yard, every fourth quarter comeback, every win," Patriots' owner Robert Kraft said. "Tom was the 199th draft pick who not only transformed himself into the greatest quarterback the league has ever seen, but he also helped transform the Patriots into a 20 year dynasty."
Brady's story in New England is one like no other, and now there will be a reminder of it for every future generation standing outside Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots' quarterback terrorized the AFC East, winning the division all but three times during his 20 years with the Patriots. The New York Jets took the brunt of that beating, losing 30 of the 37 regular-season matchups between the two, and Brady had some jokes for his rivals' fan base during his speech.
"Right now, I feel extremely honored, deeply grateful and if I'm being honest, kind of old. I'm also a little surprised, because usually they don't build statues until you're really old, like Vrabel and Bruschi," Brady said (h/t Yahoo Sports). "In the end, this statue isn't just for Pats fans. It'll also give all the Jets fans something to throw their beers at as they leave the stadium every year. Probably in the second quarter. Maybe the third."
Since Brady's retirement, it's become evident that he likes to joke around, and you had to know there'd be a jab at the Jets during his speech. But the Patriots' quarterback also had to poke fun at some of his teammates.
However, Brady's jokes didn't stop there. During his speech, the 199th overall draft pick also made fun of himself for a moment, reminding everyone of his 5.17-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2000.
Tom Brady's statue has every one of his Super Bowl victories engraved 🐐
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) August 8, 2025
via @zm_cox | #NEPatspic.twitter.com/R7S2Q02G95
"Seeing myself as a statue isn't something I could have imagined growing up. When I was drafted, I just hoped to make the team. I never dreamed I would be standing here two and a half decades later made of bronze and frozen in time," Brady said (h/t Yahoo Sports). "It actually feels pretty appropriate given my 40-yard dash time."
All jokes aside, it was a very special moment for Brady, Kraft, all the former Patriots' players and the many fans in attendance on Friday night as New England honored its greatest player of all time.
In perfect fashion, after honoring Brady before the first preseason game, the Patriots took the field and destroyed the Commanders, winning 48-18. Although it was just a preseason game, it was the perfect way to finish a memorable night at Gillette Stadium.
Related: Patriots’ DeMario Douglas Poised for 2025 Role Like Ravens’ Zay Flowers
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
