New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft broke big news on the Thursday morning edition of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football.
Though he admits that he does not know who the Patriots home opener opponent will be, he did hint that something special will be happening regardless.
Kraft said that former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be at Foxboro for the Patriots home opener as part of a special celebration to thank Brady for what he did for the Patriots.
He also said that this is just one of several celebrations expected for Brady over the course of the season.
Brady retired after the 2022 season but left New England after the 2019 season.
He was instrumental in the Patriots winning six Super Bowls during his 20 seasons.
“The greatest player in the history of the game played right here in Foxboro, and I’m happy to tell you…I invited him back to come here and be with us at the opening game.”
Robert Kraft on honoring @TomBrady at @GilletteStadium. pic.twitter.com/Dg4Aq2TXvq
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 11, 2023
Kraft and Brady are close friends and Brady’s choice to leave New England did not impact their relationship.
Brady took some heat from NFL fans for sneaking away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last October to be part of a large group of former players that attended Kraft’s surprise wedding.
📸: Pretty cool photo taken at Robert Kraft’s surprise wedding on Saturday night in Manhattan. #Patriots legends Tom Brady, Drew Bledsoe, Ty Law, Richard Seymour, Troy Brown, Randy Moss, Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Devin McCourty, Matthew Slater, and David Andrews all attended. pic.twitter.com/CUd1M4FZbM
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) October 15, 2022
The Patriots In The Post-Brady Era
It has been a tough run for the Patriots since Brady left.
This is partly because the team has not settled into a franchise quarterback.
The Cam Newton experiment did not work out.
Mac Jones had a great rookie season in 2021 but struggled in 2022.
The 2023 season will be even more interesting now that Aaron Rodgers has moved into the super competitive AFC East division.
In Brady’s time, the Patriots won the division, consisting of the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets, 17 times.
The only years they did not win were in 2000, 2002, and 2008.
The AFC East will be one of the most fun and contentious divisions in the NFL in 2023.
With Tom Brady hanging around at various celebrations during the season, you can bet that Bill Belichick wants this team to be a lot better than it has been in the past three years since he left.
In three seasons, the Patriots have gone 25-25.
Watching Brady reunite with Belichick and Kraft at Patriots games in 2023 is yet another reason to be excited for the upcoming NFL season.
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