Tom Brady calls his return to Gillette Stadium "a surreal day"

FOXBORO -- There was a football game at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, and a pretty entertaining one to boot. But let's be honest: The day belonged to Tom Brady.

The Patriots welcomed back the man who helped hang six Super Bowl banners at Gillette Stadium and brought out all the bells and whistles. Quite literally with the bell, as Brady was the first "Keeper of the Light" atop the new 22-story lighthouse in the north end zone and got to ring in the new season.

He had a great view of New England's exciting 25-20 loss to the Eagles from owner Robert Kraft's luxury box, high-fiving his former boss whenever Mac Jones and company found the end zone. 

Then at halftime, Brady came out of the tunnel donning his No. 12 jersey and did another one of his famous sprints down the field. He fired up fans in the end zone with a fist pump and a "LET'S GO!" (with an extra word in the middle, of course), as he did whenever he took the field for a game during his 20 years in New England. 

When a somewhat winded Brady made it down to the other end zone to be honored by the Krafts, it was there that Robert Kraft let everyone know that there would be no four-year waiting period for Brady to go into the team's Hall of Fame. Brady is going in next June, and the party will be held inside Gillette Stadium.

It's the kind of exception you make for the greatest quarterback to ever throw a football. And Brady got to share that special moment with a large group of family, friends, and a slew of former Patriots teammates on the field that he once dominated -- not to mention the 64,000 Patriots fans that cheered him every step of the way.

It was clear that Brady loved every second of his special day at Gillette Stadium, and that New England remains a special place in his heart.

"A surreal day. It's tough to put into words [how] this entire region has been a part of my life. All the incredible memories I have," Brady told Patriots.com after Sunday's festivities. 

"I had a great time growing up as a kid in California, but I really grew up here in New England," said Brady. "Living here in Boston -- I lived in Franklin, Quincy, Boston, Chestnut Hill -- and I wouldn't change a day in my life because of the incredible people that have come into my life. Very special day for my family, myself, and for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. I'm happy we got to be back here and celebrate something really special."

Brady felt the love throughout Gillette Stadium on Sunday, but that isn't really anything new.

"I feel it every single time. Even when I came back here a few years ago, I felt it. But today was unbelievable," he said. "One thing we love in New England is our sports heroes and the people that have brought a lot of fun moments into our lives. I'm so happy to be a part of those moments along with all my great teammates and great coaches. It's the best organization this league has seen, and we always put the team first."

Brady wanted to make sure that was the message people took from his speech on Sunday was that team-first approach the Patriots instill every step of the way.

"For all the kids in the communities in this region, what can you take from the Patriots? It's always about the team and what you can do to help the team, what you can do to help the community, what you can do to help your family, what you can do to help your school. That is ultimately what gives back the most," he said. "When you put it all out, the world has a way of bringing it all back to you. That is certainly what I felt today."

Brady will certainly feel it again on June 12, 2024, when he takes his spot in the Patriots Hall of Fame.