Latest news with #JeffBuccacio
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Patriots unveil statue of Tom Brady, who takes crack at Jets fans and his 40-yard dash time
The New England Patriots revealed their long-awaited Tom Brady statue on Friday and fans can breathe easy. It's not a Cristiano Ronaldo or Dwyane Wade-esque disaster. The larger-than-life statue, sculpted by artist and Patriots fan Jeff Buccacio, features the legendary quarterback in a simple poise, with his fist in the air and his helmet by his side at Gillette Stadium. As Patriots owner Robert Kraft said before the unveiling, the statue itself is 12 feet tall, in honor of Brady's uniform number, and 17 feet tall when including its base, in honor of his 17 AFC East division titles. Here's the moment all was revealed: A closer look at the detailed face: After the statue was revealed, Brady addressed the crowd and thanked seemingly everyone possible. He emphasized how big an honor it was to become the first player in franchise history to receive a statue, especially given the sixth-round beginnings of his career. He also couldn't resist cracking a joke about his 5.17-second 40-yard dash time: "Seeing myself as a statue isn't something I could have imagined growing up. When I was drafted, I just hoped to make the team. I never dreamed I would be standing here two and a half decades later made of bronze and frozen in time. It actually feels pretty appropriate given my 40-yard dash time." Of course, the whole spectacle couldn't avoid a little awkwardness. Kraft noted the six-sided base of the statue paid tribute to Brady's six Super Bowl titles in New England, one of the "iconic numbers associated with Tom Brady's Patriots career." It conveniently leaves out the seventh title Brady won with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after his exit from New England, though that's hardly a surprise. Kraft wsas effusive about Brady's impact on the Patriots franchise, saying he "helped transform the Patriots into a 20-year dynasty." Things got really personal when he addressed Brady: "After my family, there's no human being on the planet I love and respect as much as you." The base of the statue was reportedly quartered in Vermont, with Kraft saying the work included 20,000 hours from Buccacio and his team. At 48 years old, Brady is receiving a statue early in his retirement, and he used that as an opportunity to rib former teammates Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi. There was also the obligate joke about Jets fans: "Right now, I feel extremely honored, deeply grateful and if I'm being honest, kind of old. I'm also a little surprised, because usually they don't build statues until you're really old, like Vrabel and Bruschi. "In the end, this statue isn't just for Pats fans. It'll also give all the Jets fans something to throw their beers at as they leave the stadium every year. Probably in the second quarter. Maybe the third." Now we wait and see who the next person to get a Patriots statue is. Rob Gronkowski? Bill Belichick? Kraft?
New York Times
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Patriots unveil Tom Brady statue at Gillette Stadium ahead of preseason opener
FOXBORO, Mass. — Tom Brady smiled while standing between Robert and Jonathan Kraft as the 17-foot-tall bronze statue of himself was unveiled, the figure's right arm held in the air, his left holding a helmet by his side. Brady avoided any tears and cracked plenty of jokes during his address to an overflowing crowd outside Gillette Stadium, with more than a thousand fans filling every nearby ramp and staircase for a look at the most decorated NFL player of all time. Advertisement 'I hope I've given to you as much as you've given to me,' Brady said. The statue, sculpted by New England native Jeff Buccacio, came with plenty of symbolism. It stands 12 feet tall to reflect Brady's jersey number. Including the 5-foot granite base, it's 17 feet tall, meant to reflect the number of AFC East titles he won with the Patriots. Overall, the shape is meant to evoke the number six, reflective of the number of Super Bowls New England won on Brady's watch. Brady was full of jokes during his speech. At one point, he pretended to answer his phone after praising Buccacio. 'Sorry Jeff, that was coach Belichick — he said, 'There's still room for improvement.' I know the feeling,' Brady said. The statue was unveiled with pyrotechnics going off as Brady smiled. Overall, the statue is subtle and understated. It's all bronze and simply a football player celebrating, a scene symbolic of the success Brady had. 'For two decades, Tom Brady made Patriots fans feel invincible,' Robert Kraft said. Kraft welcomed Brady by saluting the former quarterback in a brief speech that hit on Brady's accolades. 'He didn't just rewrite the record books — he practically authored a new volume,' Kraft said. The team owner mentioned Brady's unlikely journey from being the 199th pick in the 2000 draft to a seven-time Super Bowl winner (six with the Patriots). 'Tom wasn't just the face of our franchise — he was the true heartbeat,' Kraft said. A year ago, when Brady returned for the retirement of his number, he fought back tears. On Friday, next to his statue, he was much more lighthearted. He joked that because the statue is made of bronze and frozen in time, it 'feels pretty appropriate given my 40-yard dash time.' 'Today's the first time in my life that Boston sports writers will describe me as chiseled, so that's a major win,' Brady said. As he wrapped up by thanking fans for cheering him on throughout his career, Brady noted the number of Patriots fans who will pass the statue on their way into Gillette Stadium. Advertisement 'It'll also give the Jets fans something to throw their beer at as they leave the stadium every year — probably in the second quarter,' Brady joked. The Patriots had hoped to unveil the statue last season during a game when Brady would be in town to broadcast a game for Fox Sports. But the Patriots were never selected for one of Fox's nationally televised games, and they had to keep the statue in hiding for a year. With Brady's schedule up in the air for the 2025 season, the team opted to reveal the statue on Friday before its lone home preseason game. It was Brady's first return to Gillette Stadium since the team retired his No. 12 in June of last year. The statue is the first that the Patriots have constructed and placed outside their stadium, raising questions about how they'll commemorate other members of the dynasty. (Top photo of the Tom Brady statue unveiled Friday: Paul Rutherford / Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
