Tom Brady halftime ceremony: Patriots celebrate legend, announce QB will be inducted into team Hall of Fame

Bryan Murphy

Tom Brady halftime ceremony: Patriots celebrate legend, announce QB will be inducted into team Hall of Fame image

"I am a Patriot for life."

Gillette Stadium came alive at halftime of the Patriots' season opener against the Eagles, as the team honored legendary quarterback Tom Brady with a ceremony at the intermission on Sunday. 

It marked the first time Brady was returning to Foxboro since officially retiring from football in the spring. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer brought six Super Bowl titles to New England during his time with the Patriots, leading the most successful era in franchise history. 

MORE: Tom Brady's Fox contract, explained

Tom Brady halftime ceremony speech

With a plethora of former teammates, coaches and fans in attendance, the Patriots brought Brady out to the field to give a speech, with the six Lombardi Trophies he won sitting behind him at the podium. 

Brady discussed his entire tenure in New England, starting with his draft day and not knowing where New England was, to then crediting his teammates and coaches for the success he enjoyed with the organization.

"It's one of my core beliefs - there's nothing significant in life that can be accomplished as an individual," Brady said. "It's all about the team."

The 46-year-old ended his speech with an emphatic statement that he is "a Patriot for life."

Brady gave the fans flashbacks of better times, storming out onto the field with his No. 12 New England jersey, and ending his run out onto the field with his signature fist pump and "Let's go!" scream.

Press box view: Tom Brady in the Patriots jersey with his trademark fist pump as halftime ceremony gets underway. pic.twitter.com/JQ8fBHoRPj

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 10, 2023

Tom Brady says it would have been “impossible” for him to “be in this stadium and not run out like I did for 20 years. pic.twitter.com/pAdSwB1Bf9

— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) September 10, 2023

During the festivities, team owner Robert Kraft announced that Brady would be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame next year. Kraft is waiving the four-year waiting period for the GOAT, who will be honored at a ceremony on June 12, 2024. 

Why that specific date? There are numerical reasons behind it. 

Patriots owner Robert Kraft announces he's waiving the four-year waiting period to put Tom Brady in the Patriots HOF.

Induction is set for 6/12/24 in honor of 6⃣ rings for No. 1⃣2⃣

🐐 pic.twitter.com/5dauJ9GQSH

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 10, 2023

MORE: Tom Brady's career timeline

With another event scheduled for Brady less than a year out, it means that Sunday's showing won't be the latest big hoorah for the legend at Gillette Stadium. However, Sunday's halftime ceremony marked the first time that Patriots fans got to properly thank Brady in person for his two decades of dominance — and Brady was able to return the favor as well: 

"Thank you all for making it another day in this stadium I'll never forget." 

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.