After 23 years of rewriting NFL history, Tom Brady is about to be immortalized in bronze. The greatest quarterback in NFL history will see his statue unveiled at Gillette Stadium this Friday, becoming the first Patriots player to receive such an honor. But the timing has caught everyone off guard.
Why Is Tom Brady’s Statue Being Unveiled During the Preseason?
Brady will be honored this weekend as the Patriots unveil his statue outside of Gillette Stadium. The ceremony takes place ahead of New England’s preseason opener against the Washington Commanders on Friday, Aug. 8, beginning at 6 PM ET. Fans can watch the unveiling on the Gillette Stadium video boards.
The timing surprised many around the league. JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington joked about the unusual scheduling, tweeting:
“Well this is a kinda crazy surprise – Pats are unveiling a Tom Brady statue on Friday before the preseason opener. I’d think that would be a regular season thing but I guess they want Jayden to be there”
Well this is a kinda crazy surprise – Pats are unveiling a Tom Brady statue on Friday before the preseason opener. I’d think that would be a regular season thing but I guess they want Jayden to be there pic.twitter.com/hrqgDWCsPx
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 6, 2025
The preseason timing wasn’t the original plan. The statue was initially set to be unveiled during the 2024 regular season, but Brady’s broadcasting duties with FOX altered those plans. The potential for scheduling conflicts to happen again likely led to New England’s decision to host the ceremony during the preseason, ensuring Brady could attend without interference from his FOX commitments.
What Makes Tom Brady’s Record-Breaking Career Statue-Worthy?
Brady is widely considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history after his legendary career. He rewrote the record books, throwing for an NFL-record 89,214 yards and 649 touchdowns, with 212 interceptions, while completing 64.3% of his passes. His seven Super Bowl titles and five Super Bowl MVP awards are also NFL records.
Much of his success came with the Patriots, where he spent the first 20 seasons of his career. Brady threw for 74,571 yards, 541 touchdowns, and 179 interceptions while completing 63.8% of his pass attempts with New England. He led the franchise to six Super Bowl titles. He was named MVP in four of them.
The 15-time Pro Bowler joins an exclusive group of NFL figures to receive statue honors. Brady becomes just the 14th NFL figure to receive a statue, joining Dan Marino, Ray Lewis, Steve Gleason, Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, and Peyton Manning as the only players to have a statue outside of an NFL stadium. Pat Tillman was also honored with a statue outside the Arizona State Sun Devils stadium.
It remains unclear what Brady’s statue will feature, though the franchise certainly has many legendary moments to choose from during his dominant two-decade run in New England. The three-time MVP’s legacy with the Patriots created countless iconic images that could serve as inspiration for the bronze tribute.
