Tom Brady changed New England Patriots fandom

Tom Brady’s football journey will continue without the New England Patriots. Saying goodbye to the GOAT.

It’s a day most New England Patriots fans knew was coming. That doesn’t mean saying goodbye to Tom Brady was going to be easy.

For me, Tom Brady changed what it means to be a Patriots fan. I fell in love with football, and sports in general, at a time when John Hannah, an offensive lineman, was the Patriots best player.

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I was riveted as Steve Grogan, Stanley Morgan and Andre Tippett led New England to their first Super Bowl. Berry’s Bunch beat New York, Los Angeles and Squished The Fish, and then I cried when Da Bears did the Super Bowl Shuffle all over them, 46-10. I was 10 years old.

I grew up watching a parade of quarterbacks try and lead Pats fans back to the promised land. When age finally caught up with Grogan and Doug Flutie 1.0 couldn’t recapture his collegiate magic in the pros, the Patriots turned to Marc Wilson, Tom Hodson, and Hugh Millen. A 1-15 season beget Dick MacPherson, Scott Zolak and Greg McMurtry.

Then came Bill Parcells and Drew Bledsoe and a return trip to the Super Bowl. Hopes for a first Lombardi trophy, dashed by Desmond Howard and Brett Farve. Pete Carroll. Terry Glenn. Vincent Brisby.

Bill Belichick came to town and led the New England Patriots to a glorious 5-11 season. Little did Pats fans realize that an obscure 6th round pick, a fourth-string quarterback who threw a grand total of three passes all season, would be the man to turn everything around.

For the next two decades, Boston sports fans enjoyed an unparalleled run of success. The Red Sox reversed the curse in 2004 and then captured three more World Series titles over the ensuing decades. The Bruins drank from the Stanley Cup in 2011, their first in nearly 30 years. The Celtics new big three introduced us to Ubuntu and brought home a title in 2011.

Through it all, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots evolved from scrappy David to NFL Goliath. Nine trips to the Super Bowl. Six rings. Brady himself evolved from underdog story to one of the most recognized and even reviled, athletes.

He married a supermodel, created a controversial training method and had more than his fair share of scandals on and off the field. Through it all, Brady outplayed just about everybody, the superstar with the lunch pail work ethic a beloved adopted son of Boston.

Now here we are, 20 years later. Brady’s place on Boston sports Mount Rushmore is secure, but like Orr in a Blackhawks sweater or Robert Parish twiddling his thumbs at the end of the Bulls bench, seeing Tom Brady in Chargers powder blue, Buccaneers red and pewter or, gulp, Dolphins teal will be surreal.

So before we began speculating of who will be unlucky enough to try and replace him under center. Or before Tom Brady sits before a mic and tries to explain how he hopes to lead his new team to the Super Bowl.

Before we debate whether Brady truly wanted to leave or Belichick pushed him out the door, I’d like to take a moment to appreciate just how truly unique and special it’s been to be a Patriots fan over these past decades.

Thank you, Tom Brady. You made me proud to be a New England Patriots fan. Good luck. I’ll be rooting for you. Well, at least when you’re not facing the Pats.

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And good luck to Jarrett Stidham. Or Andy Dalton. Or Cam Newton. Whoever suits up at QB of the New England Patriots next season will have some enormous shoes to fill.

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