Patriots Blog: Bruschi, Santos Heading Into Hall; Pats To Practice In Gillette
BOSTON (CBS) - After practicing in pads for the first time on Sunday, the New England Patriots don't hit the field until later this evening.
The Pats will hold their annual night practice for the season ticket holders tonight, which is always a fun time. The fans get a chance to see their favorite team practice in the stadium, and the team gets a chance to run around in the cooler temperature under the lights.
The highlight of the day will take place ahead of practice though, as the team will induct Tedy Bruschi and the legendary Gil Santos -- who for 36 years served as the radio "voice of the New England Patriots" -- into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Listen: Gil And Gino: Behind The Mic
The ceremony begins at 5 p.m. right outside the Hall at Patriot Place, and is free to the public.
Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork will be talking Tedy before the ceremony, and his his former head coach had nothing but praise for him when asked on Saturday.
"Tedy, I think, is just that whole different level, what he's brought to this organization," Bill Belichick said of Bruschi. "Very, very special – both his performance and the personality and the character that he brought to the team and the success that we've had during his time here has been remarkable."
Belichick called Bruschi a "tireless worker" and said he got better at something every year.
Patriots Blog: Dobson Turning Heads, Collins 'Crazy Athletic'
But most of all, Belichick said without Bruschi on and off the field, the Patriots would not be three-time Super Bowl Champs.
"The energy, enthusiasm, competitiveness that he brought to this organization; the success that we had, that he was such a huge part of – there's no way that that could be understated," said Bill. "To me, he's one of the all-time greats that's ever played here and that's in large part because of the championships that were won while he was a part of it. There have been other great players but the team success that he was such a huge part of is really what it's all about. His impact on that cannot be understated."
Read: More From Levan Reid
Follow Levan Reid on Twitter @LevanReid