By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
You know it’s coming. It’s going to tower over you as you traverse the main square at Patriot Place outside Gillette Stadium. It’ll cast a long shadow as the sun passes overhead. Like the Lincoln Memorial and other D.C. landmarks, it will take an in-person visit to Foxborough to understand its sheer size and scale.
The Tom Brady statue is coming some day. It’s time to start wondering what shape it will take.
For an athlete who engineered as many dramatic and iconic moments as he has, Brady has a curious lack of a singular defining image. There’s no one photo or moment that fans would collectively point to as the clear choice. Perhaps he’s accomplished so much that there’s no single capture that transcended the rest, like Bobby Orr flying through the air.
So it’s bound to become a good old-fashioned Sports Debate™ as to what image(s) should come to define the Brady statue. This thing isn’t going anywhere once it’s planted in Patriot Place, folks. This is a serious discussion. So let’s go over some of the general candidates…
The Lombardi
Ultimately, it’s hard to believe that the Lombardi Trophy wouldn’t be incorporated in some way with the Brady statue. The guy won six of the things and there are more than enough photos to use for reference. So perhaps they go with something from Brady’s demonstrative gestures with the Lombardi after the Patriots won Super Bowl LI. They could also go the route of the image of Brady after winning his first Super Bowl, hands on his head, shaking in disbelief. Referencing the championships is the most obvious route to take.
HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Feb 5, 2019; Boston, MA: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl LIII championship parade through downtown Boston. (Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports)
The Fist-Pump
Brady had simple ways of showing his emotions when the adrenaline flowed. He fist-pumped with the best of them and had plenty of opportunities to celebrate touchdowns and wins with a flourish. There’s no one fist-pump that became a defining clip of Brady over the years, but there are all kinds of possibilities. One of the best-looking fist pump photos came from the Patriots’ unforgettable 2014 divisional round win over the Ravens.
FOXBORO, MA – NOVEMBER 13: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette Stadium on November 13, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – NOVEMBER 24: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
The Roar
Brady has also made for some exciting imagery with the way he took the field at Gillette Stadium. The simplest way to illustrate Brady’s legendary competitiveness and commanding leadership is to put the statue in full uniform letting out a lion’s roar for the fans. Bucs fans will get it soon enough with why Brady is considered the greatest of all time. It will start with the way he greets them on Sundays.
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 13: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts before the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots shouts prior to playing in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA – SEPTEMBER 07: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots yells as he runs onto the field before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on September 7, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Snow Spike
The Patriots dynasty truly marked its arrival with the first Super Bowl win over the Rams in 2001, but the famous snow game against the Raiders planted the seed. Go back and watch that game and you get some severely early glimpses of Brady’s budding greatness. His best image from that game came when he spiked the ball after trudging into the snow-covered end zone. Maybe not the ideal choice of a moment to memorialize with an actual statue, but one of Brady’s iconic moments for sure.
The Juke
Brady has made a lot of signature plays, but one of his most famous wasn’t a throw at all. When Brady scrambled and juked the Bears’ Brian Urlacher, while the linebacker was in the midst of an All-Pro season, Brady gave fans a unique reason for why he was such a superior football player to his peers. I submit Brady’s subsequent first-down celebration as a wild card, dark horse kind of option for the statue.
FOXBOROUGH, MA – NOVEMBER 26: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots signals first down against the Chicago Bears on November 26, 2006 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Bears 17-13. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Courtroom Sketch
Sorry, sorry, sorry. Don’t let that attempt at humor anger you. Ya prick.
Anyway, please give us your vote in the poll below. Also, hit us up on Facebook or Twitter with your picks for what the Brady statue should look like. I suspect there will be a wide variety of choices, maybe one that hasn’t been touched upon here.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.