Brady will return to New England, but not as the team's quarterback

Tom Brady is going back to New England. However, he won't be playing this time. The former quarterback will be honored at the Patriots' first game of the 2023-2024 season.

Robert Kraft, chairman and CEO of the Patriots, announced Thursday that he wanted to give the New England community a chance to thank Brady for all he's done.

"I'm happy to tell you and your audience that I invited him back to come here and be with us at the opening game and let the fans in New England thank him for the great service he gave us for over 20 years," Kraft said on the NFL Network.

Brady won six Super Bowls with the Patriots. He won an additional Super Bowl after signing with Tampa Bay in 2020. 

This will be Brady's first time back in Foxborough since the Buccaneers beat the Patriots in 2021. 

Kraft said the tribute to Brady during their home opener will be the first of many.

"It will be the beginning of many celebrations to honor Tom Brady and say, 'thank you,' for what he did for us in 20 years playing for the New England Patriots," Kraft said.

Brady retired at the end of the 2022-2023 season. It was the second time the future Hall of Famer announced his retirement. A year earlier Brady said he was retiring, but he had a change of heart and led the Buccaneers back to the playoffs last season. 

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