Tom Brady statue reveal speech: Patriots legend jokes about Jets, Bill Belichick during unveiling ceremony

Teddy Ricketson

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Tom Brady statue reveal speech: Patriots legend jokes about Jets, Bill Belichick during unveiling ceremony image

Tom Brady was forever enshrined in Foxborough lore on Friday, as a 12-foot bronze statue of him was revealed outside of Gillette Stadium. There was worry that he was going to follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo and Dwyane Wade and have some rough aesthetics, but it turned out well.

After the lead-up praising Brady and his achievements with the Patriots over two video packages and a speech from owner Robert Kraft, it was finally time for the former quarterback to get the mic. He began by thanking fans, but then it felt like he blacked out and woke up thinking that he was at an open mic night. Brady started making jokes that had full set-ups and even a prop during his speech.

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Here's more on Brady's speech after his statue was revealed by the Patriots. 

Tom Brady statue reveal speech

Brady was given a platform, and he didn't waste it. He threw shade at former teammates, opponents, and coaches — nobody was safe. Here is a look at some of his best jokes from his speech. 

The Jets

Brady went 31-8 against the Jets. He said that the good thing about the statue is that Jets fans will be able to throw their beer cans at it every year when they're leaving the annual game at Gilette Stadium in the second or third quarter. This is not only a playoff shot at a division rival, but it also shows how dominant he was against them, suggesting that the fans wouldn't stick around the whole game to see their team lose. 

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Bill Belichick

The former Patriots head coach has jumped to the college game and has taken over at the helm of the University of North Carolina's football team. That didn't protect him from a comment from Brady. 

The former quarterback had a longer set-up with this gag, as he pretended to answer a fake phone call. He finally apologized to the sculptor and said that the call was from Coach Belichick, who told him "there was still room for improvement" with the statue — a sentiment the GOAT quarterback apparently heard throughout his legendary career.

Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi

Brady said that he was extremely honored by the statue. He then admitted that it made him feel really old, as typically, only guys who are really old get statues, like Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi. It wasn't a deep joke, but just a side shot at two of his former teammates. Vrabel, the current head coach of the Patriots, was in attendance. 

Tom Brady himself

While he made jokes about others, there was also a lot of self-deprecating humor in there, too. Brady frequently called himself old. His best comment about himself was that this statue would be the first time that sports writers would have to call him "chiseled." 

This post will be updated. 

Teddy Ricketson

Teddy Ricketson is a Digital Content Producer at The Sporting News. He joined the team in 2024 after spending the last three years writing for Vox Media as part of its DK Nation/Network team. Teddy does his best to support the South Carolina Gamecocks and Carolina Panthers, but tends to have more fun cheering on the Atlanta Braves. In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife, Brooke, and their two dogs, Bo and Hootie.