The New England Patriots retired Tom Brady's jersey number 12, on Wednesday night of June 12, 2024, making it the eighth uniform to be retired in the franchise history. Robert Kraft announced that the AFC giants will also unveil a 12-foot bronze statue for Brady during the 2024 NFL season.
The Patriots are among the most successful franchises in NFL history, thanks to their remarkable 13 AFC East Championship appearance between 2001 and 2019. They were coached by arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, Bill Belichick, and also enjoy the vast majority of Tom Brady's Hall of Fame-worthy career.
Here are the eight spectacular Patriots players and their numbers that have been retired in New England. Gino Cappelletti (20), Mike Haynes (40), Steve Nelson (57), John Hannah (73), Bruce Armstrong (78), Jim Lee Hunt (79), and Bob Dee (89) and Tom Brady (12).
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What number is the next to be retired by New England Patriots?
With Brady's jersey number being retired on June 12, Wednesday, Kraft hasn't expressed any comments on retiring another jersey number so far. Only eight players have been granted the privilege of having their numbers retired by the Patriots. The Patriots have been home to several legends, including Randy Moss, Rob Gronkowski, and Julian Edelman, but none of these players had their jerseys retired.
Brady wore the number 12 jersey for his entire NFL career, starting on the New England Patriots bench. He might have come into the league as a mere sixth-round pick, but he left as the greatest quarterback of all time. Furthermore, Tom Brady shares a strong bond with Robert Kraft, the owner of the Patriots.
What number is the most revered for the New England Patriots?
While the number 12 jersey is easily the most popular in recent memory of the New England Patriots, it isn't the most popular in the team's history. Instead, the most popular number in Patriots history is the number that the likes of Drew Bledsoe, Edelman, Tony Eason, Joe Kapp, and Shawn McCarthy wore. That number is the mythical number 11 jersey.
The number 11 jersey has been worn by star quarterbacks, wide receivers, defensive stoppers, and even an elite kicker. It is a number that means a lot to the New England faithful, and it seemingly gets a worthy recipient each decade. The number eleven is the most revered number for the Patriots, and it will be fun watching who the next stud that will inherit the number.
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