New England Patriots to Unveil ‘Larger Than Life’ Bronze Statue of Tom Brady In Honor of QB’s ‘Legendary Legacy’

Bronze Brady is coming to New England!

The New England Patriots plan to unveil a 12-foot “larger than life” statue of the team’s legendary quarterback Tom Brady the evening of Friday, Aug. 8, before the team’s first preseason game against the Washington Commanders.

Brady, 48, is expected to be at the pregame ceremony in front of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., where the quarterback led the Patriots for 20 seasons throughout his record-breaking career, according to the Associated Press.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is also expected to make remarks before the bronze statue is unveiled to the public, while Brady will also deliver a speech in front of fans gathered outside the team’s stadium.

The statue was commissioned by a local sculptor and is meant to “to perpetuate the legendary legacy of the great Tom Brady,” Kraft first announced last summer. The statue will stand outside the entrance to The Patriots Hall of Fame, located inside the team’s stadium.

Brady led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles throughout his career in New England, winning 17 division championships and leading the team to nine championship appearances while being named NFL MVP three times.

Brady left the Patriots in free agency following the 2019 season and played his final three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading the team to a Super Bowl title in 2021.

The Patriots retired Brady’s No. 12 jersey in September 2023, hosting the future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback for a halftime ceremony where he and Kraft also addressed the fans at Gillette. Brady said at the time that “coming back to New England to celebrate what [he and the team] accomplished was so special, and it’s a day that I’ll never forget.”

“All our lives take us on different journeys,” Brady said during his speech that day. “They take us to different places. They bring different people into our lives. But one thing I am sure and that will never change is that I am a patriot for life!”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Brady later added on his podcast Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray on SiriusXM that returning to New England for the ceremony was a “special reunion” for him and Patriots fans. “I had two decades of incredible life-altering experience,” he said. “I have so many memories from my time there.”

The San Mateo, Calif., native was drafted No. 199th overall by New England in the 2000 NFL Draft – the final pick that year – after playing college football at the University of Michigan.

Following his 23-year NFL career, Brady joined the broadcast booth last season to call games for Fox, including last season’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.