Patriots to honor Tom Brady at their home opener this season

Number 12 is coming home! The New England Patriots announced on Thursday that they will honor their former quarterback in their home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 10th, 2023.

Photo byAdam Glanzman, Getty Images

Tom Brady was drafted by the Patriots 199th overall, in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Over the next 20 seasons, he led the Patriots to 7 division titles (including 11 consecutive titles from 2009 to 2019), 13 AFC Championship Games (including 8 consecutive AFCCG from 2011 to 2018), 9 Super Bowl appearances and 6 Super Bowl titles, all of which are NFL records for a player and franchise.

Brady is only NFL quarterback to win a Super Bowl in three separate decades. He is currently the oldest NFL MVP at age 40, the oldest Super Bowl MVP at age 43, and the oldest quarterback selected to the Pro Bowl at age 44 as well as the only NFL quarterback named to two all-decade teams (2000's and 2010's) and in 2019, was unanimously named to the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

In 2020, Brady left New England as a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where played for 3 seasons, leading them to a Super Bowl victory in 2020. Brady retired in 2021, only to announce his return to the Bucs just 40 days later. He played one more season, finally annoucing his retirement "for good" in via his Instagram account on February 1st, 2023. He would filed his retirement papers to the NFL and NFLPA nine days later, which makes him eligible for the Pro Football Hal of Fame in 2028.

Team owner Robert Kraft announced on Thursday on NFLN's "Good Morning Football" that Brady will be honored at Gillette Stadium during the 2023 home opener, which will include a special halftime ceremony.

Kraft said, "The greatest player in the history of the game played right here in Foxboro and I'm happy to tell you and your audience that I invited him back to come here and be with us at the opening game and let the fans in New England thank him for the great service he gave us for over 20 years."