Patriots to retire Tom Brady's number 12 jersey

The New England Patriots announced plans to retire Tom Brady's iconic number 12 jersey and build a statue in his honor. The announcement was made during the induction of the 46-year-old former quarterback into the Patriots' Hall of Fame.

Brady, who was selected by the Patriots with the 199th pick of the 2000 draft, led the team to six Super Bowl victories. Patriots owner Robert Kraft emphasized Brady's unparalleled impact on the franchise and the sport. “[The statue] will stand alone in the plaza outside of the Hall of Fame to symbolize his position, not as the greatest in franchise history, but as the greatest in all of NFL history,” Kraft stated.

Brady departed the Patriots in 2020 to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he immediately led them to a Super Bowl win and was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for a fifth time. After initially retiring in 2022, Brady returned for a 23rd and final NFL season.

During the ceremony at the Patriots' home stadium, Brady expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am eternally grateful. I am Tom Brady. And I am a Patriot.” Reflecting on his career, Brady praised former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, stating, “Let me make this crystal clear - there is no coach in the world I would rather play for than Bill Belichick.”

Belichick, who attended the event, commended Brady's contributions, saying, “Thank you for all that you've done for us. Thank you for all you've done for me. And thank you for the example and motto you've been for all of us on a daily basis for 20 years. Congratulations.”

Brady holds multiple NFL records, including the all-time regular-season leader in pass attempts (12,050), completions (7,753), passing yards (89,214), and touchdown passes (649). He was named the season's MVP three times.