The New England Patriots welcomed Tom Brady back to Foxborough, Massachusetts, for their Week 1 clash against the Philadelphia Eagles, to honour their former player after he retired from the NFL.
The Patriots held a special half-time show to thank Brady for his incredible contribution to their franchise, and the NFL legend told fans inside Gillette Stadium: “I will be a Patriot for life.” Brady initially retired in 2022 but reversed his decision to play one final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But back in February the then 45-year-old retired for the second and final time, although it hasn’t stopped speculation that he could return again. The Patriots continue to lack consistency with Mac Jones at quarterback, and Brady’s new affiliation with the Las Vegas Raiders also led to rumours he could suit up again in the future.
That isn’t the case though as Brady finally put the retirement rumours to bed when being interviewed on the sidelines, although he did admit that he already misses the action. “I had 20 amazing years here (in New England) and three really fun years in Tampa,” Brady said.
“Getting a lot of perspective, and there’s no better place for me to be on opening day in the NFL than here with these fans. So many people came to support and I’m blessed. … It’s not as fun as playing I’m sure of that.
“But I’m so happy to put that part of my life to bed and move on to other things. I’m cheering on a couple of my favourite teams and I love seeing this be a competitive game.”
It’s the first time this century that the NFL will continue without Brady, but he’s still very much involved with the league. Brady’s already been involved with the Raiders during pre-season, speaking to the players in the locker room before games.
But Brady has also expanded his sporting portfolio and is now a minority investor in Birmingham City. Brady has already flown over to England to watch the Championship football team in action and seems to be enjoying life as an owner.
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Brady has one year remaining until he switches to broadcasting, as he’s set to join FOX Sports for the start of the 2024 NFL season. Brady’s contract with FOX is worth $375 million (£300 million) according to the New York Post, and will last for 10 years.
Former quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning are regulars on ESPN as they offer alternate commentary for NFL games, and Brady will soon join them in the broadcasting department. His time in the NFL really is over, but he steps away as the most successful player of all time.
