Brady Gets a Rousing Welcome Back at Gillette Stadium

Brady called the Patriots-Packers game from Fox’s booth, marking his first return to New England as a Fox broadcaster. Fans roared and applauded when he appeared on the stadium’s giant screen during a pregame ceremony. He waved and mouthed his thanks to the crowd.

The event honored members of New England’s 2016 team, a decade after the Patriots’ comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots had trailed 28-3 before winning 34-28 in overtime. Former receiver Julian Edelman was among those introduced on the field at Gillette Stadium.

Brady, now 49, had drawn criticism from some Patriots fans after saying before last year’s Super Bowl that he had no preference between the teams. His comments came after New England reached the championship game against the Seattle Seahawks. Some supporters had also objected when he was initially left off the list of participants in the anniversary ceremony.

Brady spent nearly 20 years with the Patriots, winning six Super Bowls alongside coach Bill Belichick. He signed a 10-year, $375 million agreement to become Fox’s lead NFL analyst after retiring as a player. Before the game, he had described a return to the stadium as emotional, recalling the many important games he had played there. His last visit to Foxborough was for a 2025 preseason game when his statue was unveiled.