Tom Brady Isn’t Expecting a Homecoming from New England Patriots Fans When He Returns to Gillette Stadium

The biggest regular season match of the 2021 NFL season is coming soon. Tampa Bay Buccaneers will make the trip to Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Patriots. This battle will feature a homecoming of sorts for veteran quarterback Tom Brady. This will be the first time Brady will face his former team, and all bets are off.

Tom Brady expects Patriots fans to cheer for their team, not him

Calling Tom Brady a local hero in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is an understatement. He gave his heart and soul for the team, winning them six Super Bowls and cementing them as a dynasty in the NFL. However, the circumstances of his exit are a little controversial. Many claim a fallout with Bill Belichick led to his departure amidst other theories.

Despite that, his return to Gillette Stadium will be one to behold. However, he now plays for the opposite team. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will receive a hostile reaction, but could the hometown hero get a positive one? Here’s what he had to say about the ‘homecoming’ on the Let’s Go! Podcast, alongside Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray.

“Well, I wouldn’t expect any homecoming. I think they’re there to root for their team. Their team is the Patriots. I certainly have had a lot of people cheer for me over the years. I’ll have a lot of family there and I have a lot of friends who want to go to the game. They’ve asked me about tickets for six months.”

“So there will be a lot of excitement from them in the stands. But I think the home crowd at Gillette is a great crowd and I think they’re going to cheer for their team, as I would expect them to. And I think if they know anything about me, they’re gonna know I’m going to go out there and win a football game.”

Read more: ‘Not Gonna Go Back’ – Bill Belichick Dodges Tom Brady Questions; Heaps Praise on Buccaneers

Do the Patriots have what it takes to overcome the Bucs?

Ahead of the Los Angeles Rams fixture, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked set to storm their way to another Super Bowl. Brady’s stats surpassed that of his 2007 MVP season, which is startling, given that he’s 44. However, Matthew Stafford put a stop to their rampage as the Rams beat the Bucs at SoFi Stadium.

While the Bucs disappointed, the Patriots were quite atrocious. Quarterback Mac Jones had a dismal game and drew the ire of analysts and supporters. Many even claimed replacing Cam Newton with him was a huge mistake. Touted as the next quarterback MVP in the NFL, he hasn’t had the best start in Foxborough.

With a strong performance against the Bucs and Tom Brady, Mac Jones can prove the doubters wrong and cement his position as the #1 quarterback. The Patriots’ performance strongly depends on his performance, otherwise they’d crumble in front of the reigning champions.

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