By Kevin Patra, Around the NFL Writer
Tom Brady doesn’t plan on making another comeback, but TB12 will be back in Foxborough for Week 1 as the New England Patriots honor their legendary former quarterback.
Robert Kraft announced in May the Pats would honor Brady at the home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“It was such a kind gesture by RKK, who I’ve been in touch with since the season ended,” Brady said Thursday during an appearance on ESPN. “We’ve always had a great relationship. From the moment that I stepped foot in Foxborough, I’ve cherished that opportunity, and I’ve always felt like I’ve been a member of that organization. I know my football journey took me to Tampa for three years, which I absolutely loved. And when that ended I had an opportunity to really reconnect with RKK on a personal level.
“He thought this was something that the fans would really enjoy. Obviously, I want to go back there and see the fans. See my teammates. I went back there one time, it was in an opposing uniform, which was a different type of welcoming. Although people were very polite, and I had a great experience. To be able to go back there in a different frame of mind, a less competitive frame of mind, and I’m always pulling for the Patriots. It’s been a great organization. I’ve got so many friends there still. My kids were born in Boston. I have so many incredible memories of my time there, and it’s a great gesture by the organization.”
Brady led a two-decade dynasty in New England, leading the Pats to six Super Bowl victories and 17 division titles.
Making the media rounds Thursday, Brady was asked on the Rich Eisen Show how he would handle his legendary competitive itch now that he’s done on the gridiron.
“I think there’s other competitive ways to kinda get those things out,” he said. “I’ll be competitive in other areas for sure. I will be. It doesn’t necessarily need to be on a football field throwing footballs anymore. I can still do that. I’m just not going to do it competitively in a way, to be a part of an organization that way because that’s a huge commitment. That commitment I don’t take lightly. I don’t think I ever took that commitment lightly. I thought I put 100 percent into everything, and I try to still put 100 percent into everything that I do. It just takes a little bit of a different shape or a little bit of a different direction, and you can see other areas where I’m trying to contribute, and I think I can be a part of different organizations and different places to help them be successful as well. I think that’s a big part of what my future looks like.”
Brady hopes to help manage that competitive fire by becoming a minority owner in the Las Vegas Raiders.
“That’s obviously very exciting for me, and I think we’re just a little bit in the middle of that process right now, but obviously something that would be a dream come true,” Brady told Eisen. “To be the third player in the history of the league to have an ownership interest in a team would be amazing, and I feel like we can continue to kinda progress with this and it gets all the approvals, and so forth, it would be something that would really be pretty cool from a kid from just San Mateo, California that grew up on Portola Drive and was throwing out-cuts at fire hydrants, to be a part of the NFL in that type of way and to really be a steward of the game.
“I think if there’s something I really feel strongly about it, yeah, the position is, let’s say, more of an ownership role, but it just allows me to have an impact in the game — and I’m going to do that in broadcasting, as well. But I just love the sport. I think it brings out the best in all of us. I think that competition, I think that teamwork, camaraderie, determination, discipline, perseverance, overcoming adversity, all these different things have shaped me and molded me into the person that I am, and I see it too with so many others. I think just being part of that, and it’s been a part of my life in the past but also going forward in the future, it’s a fun thing for me.”
