Tedy Bruschi Elected To Patriots Hall Of Fame
BOSTON (CBS) - Tedy Bruschi will be taking his place in the New England Patriots Hall of Fame come August.
Bruschi was elected the 19th player and 21st member of the Patriots Hall of Fame, the team announced on Tuesday.
Bruschi will join Gil Santos, the Voice of the New England Patriots for 37 years, at an induction ceremony on Sunday, August 11. The induction ceremony is open to the public and Patriots fans are encouraged to attend.
Bruschi, once dubbed "the perfect Patriot" by head coach Bill Belichick, will also be honored during a halftime ceremony at the 2013 home opener when the Patriots host the New York Jets on Thursday, September 12.
"We knew when we drafted him in 1996 that 'Bruschi' was going to be a fan favorite in New England," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "But, he was so much more than that. During the most successful era in the history of the franchise, Tedy was the heart and soul of the defense and proved to be a champion, both on and off the field. He was a high-energy, tenacious defender whose playmaking abilities helped propel the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships in four years. His remarkable and courageous return to the field following a stroke only added to his legend and solidified his place among the most iconic Patriots in franchise history. We look forward to celebrating his induction with our fans."
Bruschi was originally drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft. Bruschi helped propel the Patriots to 11 winning records, nine playoff seasons, including eight as division champions, five conference crowns and three Super Bowl titles. In Bruschi's 211 career games (including regular-season and playoffs), the Patriots had a 144-67 (.682) record, including a 16-6 (.727) playoff mark.
Bruschi joins Drew Bledsoe (2011) and Troy Brown (2012) as the only players to be selected by the fans into the Patriots Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
