"It'll be certainly emotional": How Tom Brady's return to New England brings back memories of his legendary years with the Patriots

Tom Brady will return to Foxborough on Sunday for the first time as an NFL broadcaster, and the occasion carries more weight than a regular FOX assignment. The former New England Patriots quarterback will call his old team's Week 9 game against the Green Bay Packers alongside Kevin Burkhardt. The visit also coincides with Rob Gronkowski's induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Brady has already admitted that seeing the stadium again will bring back memories of two decades, six Super Bowl titles and some of the biggest moments of his career.Tom Brady opens up about his return to FoxboroughTom Brady spoke about the visit during an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Tuesday. He did not hide what the return means to him, explaining that almost every part of Gillette Stadium holds a memory from his playing days."It'll be certainly emotional," Brady admitted to Cowherd. "I mean, every inch of that stadium, I've been through so many times. From the locker rooms to the media rooms to the field. Just so many memorable plays in that stadium. Big games, championship games and rivalry games, division-clinching games. So, to be back there and to really understand what that Patriot organization is all about and to convey that to the fans in a way where I'm not talking about myself, I'm really talking about this awesome program that's been built. And the Patriots just always seem to do things the right way."There is a small but important distinction in Brady's comments. He knows that his name will naturally come up when viewers think about the Patriots' success, but he wants the broadcast to recognise the wider organisation. His return also comes at a time when New England has found fresh momentum under head coach Mike Vrabel.Brady praised Vrabel for changing the team's environment and guiding the Patriots back to the Super Bowl last season. He also credited offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for helping quarterback Drake Maye develop into an MVP candidate. The comments showed that Brady has followed the franchise's progress even after leaving it.He also welcomed the Packers' visit, calling it a rare meeting between AFC and NFC teams."It's a great AFC-NFC matchup. These don't happen very often," Brady said of Green Bay traveling to New England. "And I get to be there to watch it in person in front of a very friendly home crowd — I'm very excited."Brady's Patriots legacy makes the FOX assignment differentBrady's connection with New England began when the Patriots selected him in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He became the starting quarterback a year later after Drew Bledsoe suffered an injury. Few could have predicted what followed.Over 20 seasons, Brady turned the franchise into a championship powerhouse. He won six Super Bowls, reached nine championship games and collected three NFL MVP awards. His partnership with Bill Belichick became one of the most successful player-coach combinations in league history. Brady also threw for 74,571 regular-season yards and 541 touchdowns during his Patriots career.He left New England after the 2019 season, joining Tampa Bay and winning another Super Bowl before retiring after the 2022 campaign. His move to FOX opened a new chapter, but Sunday offers a rare chance to reconnect with the place where most of his greatest achievements happened.FOX also knows the value of this return. Brady reportedly earns upwards of $38 million annually for his broadcasting role, and the network has released a promotional commercial built around his Foxborough visit. It is an unusual level of attention for a broadcaster, but Brady is hardly an ordinary former player.With Gronkowski receiving his Hall of Fame honour and the Patriots hosting Green Bay, the broadcast has plenty of stories beyond the result. Brady will have to cover them without making the afternoon about his own achievements. That may be the hardest part of the assignment for someone whose career is so closely tied to the stadium.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.