FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 04: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots looks on as they play against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Tom Brady is coming back, but in a much different way.
“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,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement posted by the team.
The team made the announcement Thursday morning, ahead of the league’s plan to reveal schedules for the upcoming season.
While he played his final seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he became known as the Greatest of All Time during his time in New England.
s of now, Brady is under contract to join Fox Sports as the network’s lead football analyst. That 10-year deal is reportedly worth $375 million. He won’t be starting his broadcasting career until the 2024 season.
If he truly is done, which he announced for the second time in February, Brady leaves the game as the NFL’s career leader in yards passing (89,214) and touchdowns (649). He’s the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and has been MVP of the game five times.
His career began with him being picked 199th in the 2000 draft by the Patriots, behind six other quarterbacks, three kickers, and a punter. He played in one game as a rookie, completing one of three passes for six yards.
Brady took over as the Patriots’ starter after an injury and led the team to a Super Bowl win over the Rams.
From there, he and New England coach Bill Belichick were well on their way to becoming the most successful coach-QB duo in football history.
