Tom Brady Patriots Hall of Fame Tickets Sold Out: 'Still the One'
FOXBORO, Mass.— Boston’s Celtics and Bruins are currently engaged in postseason play. The Red Sox are beginning to make their mark in the division after a bit of a slow start to their season. Lastly, the New England Patriots have just drafted a quarterback who they believe can be the future face of their storied franchise.
Yet … make no mistake about it.
Tom Brady is still the hottest ticket in town.
Shortly after being made available for limited sale, tickets for Brady’s induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame sold out early Thursday afternoon. The Pats legend will be honored with a first-of-its-kind ceremony inside Gillette Stadium on June 12 at 7 p.m. NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico will host the event, which is expected to feature former Patriots and guests from Brady’s remarkable run with the club.
Creator: Maddie Meyer | Credit: Getty Images
Brady’s induction will be the first in team history to waive the customary four-year waiting period — with the date of 6/12 representing the six championships he won during his Patriots tenure, as well as his iconic No. 12 jersey.
In fact, Brady’s upcoming honor has even altered the Massachusetts public transit schedule. The MBTA Commuter Rail also announced Thursday that they will provide a special, round-trip train to Gillette for the event. The train will leave South Station in Boston at 4:15 p.m. and arrive at Foxboro Station at 5:15 p.m. The train will leave Gillette 30 minutes after the event.
For Patriots fans, Brady’s induction will serve as the culmination of the franchises most indelible icon. The San Mateo, CA native entered the NFL as the 199th overall selection by the Patriots in the 2000 NFL Draft. The Michigan product ascended to the starting position in his second year with the team, in the aftermath of a devastating injury to then-starter Drew Bledsoe. In his first year as a starter, Brady led the Patriots to their first ever championship. He would go on to win five additional titles in New England, with his last coming as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
Brady’s place among the top of the pantheon of NFL greats has been firmly established. As such, he finishes his illustrious career with regular season totals of 12,050 pass attempts for 7,753 completions (64.3 percent), 89,214 passing yards, 649 touchdowns and 212 interceptions. Brady also dominated the postseason, where he has compiled a record of 35-13, as well as a quarterback rating of 89.8. He completed 62.5 percent of his postseason passes for 13,400 yards, 88 passing touchdowns and 40 interceptions. Brady won seven of the ten Super Bowls in which he played, earning the big game’s MVP five times.
Despite being engulfed by a sea of envy in most of the country, he is still largely adored in New England; firmly entrenched among the immortal beloveds of New England sports. In fact, he might be the most admired sports figure in the history of a city that has been the home to such icons as Ted Williams, Bobby Orr, Larry Bird, and Bill Russell.
Visions of game-winning drives, improbable comebacks and championship parades are forever a part of the region’s generational memory bank. Prior to his taking the reins as the Patriots starting quarterback in 2001, New England knew little but defeat. Since that time, they have enjoyed unparalleled success.
Accordingly, the organization honored Brady’s retirement announcement with both pregame and halftime ceremonies during their opening day matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. After acting as the inaugural lighthouse keeper for the newly-minted Gillette Stadium lighthouse, Brady began the halftime festivities by running out of the Pats home team tunnel, wearing his familiar No. 12 jersey.
“One thing I’m sure of, and that will never change, is that I am a Patriot for life,” Brady said to a raucous ovation from the sellout crowd at Gillette Stadium. Unsurprisingly, the crowd responded by chanting: “Brady! Brady! Brady!”
This summer, he will take his rightful place atop the pantheon of Patriots legends.
Next stop … the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.