FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - After 20 seasons, six Super Bowls and a lifetime of memories, the Patriots are set to honor Tom Brady Wednesday with a ceremony at Gillette Stadium as they induct him into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., the ceremony will run until 9:30 p.m. More than 100 of Brady’s former teammates are expected to be in attendance, according to an announcement from the Patriots.
Brady’s number will be retired as he becomes the first ever Patriot to be inducted into the team’s hall of fame before the typical four-year waiting period is up.
“It’s going to be great,” said Patriots coach Jerod Mayo at an event in Boston Tuesday. “It’s going to be great to have a legend come back and it’s important for the younger guys to see.”
“He deserves it, right?” said Patriots center David Andrews. “The thing about Tom is, obviously, he’s the greatest player to ever play this game. But he was a great teammate and he’s done a lot of things I wish I could do in my career about knowing people’s names and things like that.”
Parking lots opened at 3 p.m. Stadium gates were scheduled open at 5 p.m. and fans are urged to be in their seats by 6:30 p.m.
There will be a red carpet arrival show beginning at 5:15 p.m. where guests will be interviewed as they arrive.
Comedian Bill Burr will then kick off the ceremony.
“It’s definitely a special moment for a special person,” said current Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett. “…I’m excited for him and he deserves everything.”
Fans are expected to pack Gillette for Brady’s induction ceremony.
Those not in attendance can catch the ceremony and related festivities on Patriots.com and the team’s social media pages.
Some tickets were still available for the event as of Wednesday morning and some fans were already at Gillette before 12 p.m.
Among them, Mike Lind said he has been a lifelong fan of the Michigan Wolverines, where Brady played college football.
“It’s Tom Brady’s career and it’s who we are,” he said. “Patriots have been champions six times in 20 years and it’s time to celebrate the man who brought us it all.”
Seated outside a newly-renovated Gillette Stadium, Lind reflected on Brady’s lasting impact on the gameday experience in Foxboro.
“Tom brought this,” he said. “Look at Gillette Stadium now and think about Foxborough Stadium, was it was. It has just been a total transformation and this team is one of the hearts of the area.”
“It will be the last time he steps foot in Gillette for a while,” said fellow Patriots fan Nick DeAngelo.
DeAngelo said he lives close to the stadium.
“Part of the reason we moved to Foxboro is for Tom Brady,” he said. “So, we can’t wait to see him.”‘
Still more fans were gathering in the parking lot outside Gillette Stadium for tailgating near 4 p.m.
Fans speaking with 7NEWS recalled their favorite memories of Brady ahead of his induction, with some highlighting New England’s Brady-engineered comeback in the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons.
For LaMonte Fuller, sporting a #12 jersey, there was perhaps no sweeter memory than Brady’s comeback after his four-game suspension in connection with the Deflategate scandal.
“The best memory I have of the GOAT is when Roger Goodell suspended him four games and he came back on a revenge tour,” Fuller said.
“He is God,” said Patriots fan Cam Ridgeway. “He is God for New Englanders. He’s God for Patriots fans. He’s God for NFL fans. He’s number one.”
Foxboro police in a post on Facebook warned of road closures around the Brady ceremony, saying weekday commuter traffic would likely combine with event traffic to create traffic delays.
“Allow extra time to get where you need to go, and pack your patience circumventing traffic,” police said.
Police in nearby Walpole earlier this week said traffic restrictions in South Walpole would take effect at 4 p.m.
Walpole police urged people headed to Gillette to use Route 1, if possible.
While police prepared for the flood of people to Foxboro, celebrations of Brady extended to Boston and beyond.
Gov. Maura Healey shared a proclamation declaring Wednesday “Tom Brady Day.”
Brady himself also shared a video on Instagram from his children.
“My kids surprised me this morning with this video, and I wanted to share it with my Patriot family too,” he said in his post. “What a ride. See you tonight New England.”
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