This archive report was first published on 4 October 2021.
On October 3, 2021, Tom Brady's highly anticipated return to New England to face his former team and longtime coach, Bill Belichick, did not go as planned.
Despite a warm welcome from fans before the game, Brady was met with a steady downpour of boos as he took the field at Gillette Stadium.
His former teammates treated him rudely, limiting him to 269 yards passing and no touchdowns.
Tampa Bay Coach Bruce Arians praised Brady's performance, saying he had played 'very carefully.'
However, Brady's play was not enough to overcome the standout performance of rookie quarterback Mac Jones, who showed why the Patriots drafted him in the first round this spring.
Jones completed 31 of 40 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Patriots in a sloppy, penalty-filled game of field goals, dropped passes, and missed tackles.
Brady was lucky to leave with a win, as he was outplayed by Jones and looked unsteady, missing receivers and settling for field goals instead of touchdowns.
Despite this, Brady became the N.F.L.'s career passing leader when he completed a 28-yard pass to receiver Mike Evans in the first quarter, surpassing the record of 80,358 yards set by Drew Brees.
