Tom Brady will be immortalized outside of Gillette Stadium on Aug. 8, when the New England Patriots unveil a statue of the G.O.A.T. ahead of their preseason opener. It's a fitting tribute for someone who brought an unprecedented six Super Bowl titles to the organization during his 20 seasons there. (Please just make sure, Pats, we don't get a repeat of the Dwyane Wade statue down in Miami. Tom Brady deserves better.)
Brady isn't the first NFL legend to have a statue constructed outside of his team's stadium. And he certainly won't be the last. So let's talk about some more guys from this millennium who are worthy of a similar honor.
Here are five candidates:
Wait, didn't we already cover him? Listen, this wouldn’t be unprecedented. Peyton Manning has a statue in Indianapolis, and there is also a pillar bearing his likeness near Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. The Buccaneers could similarly double up on Tom Brady statues -- in fact, I had to check to make sure they haven't already given him one already. I know he won just one Super Bowl during his three seasons in Tampa. It was also just the second for the franchise, capping his first year with the team, and his impact is still felt. He established a winning culture with the Bucs, helping end a 12-season playoff drought and kicking off a streak of four straight NFC South titles that remains alive to this day. Simply put, I could see this happening.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was one of the biggest reasons why the Rams won a Super Bowl after they returned home to Los Angeles. Aaron was one of the best players at his position -- perhaps of all time -- throughout his 10-year career, rampaging his way to 111 sacks, 9.5 more than anyone else in the NFL between 2014 and 2023. One question this brings up for me, though: Where does Donald fit in the line of other Rams who also deserve a statue? Like NFL and Rams icon Deacon Jones? And what about Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, members of the "Forgotten Four" who broke the NFL's color barrier in 1946? I’ve written about Washington and would love for him to receive the recognition he deserves. There are several great options here, so this is kind of a tough call.
It feels kind of strange to suggest Watt would be given a statue in Houston before legendary MLB pitcher Nolan Ryan. Then again, Watt -- along with Hall of Fame wide receiver Andre Johnson -- helped solidify the legacy of the Houston Texans organization, driving a window of playoff contention that opened in 2011, the team's 10th season in existence. Watt and Johnson are the only two players currently in the franchise's ring of honor, and I would be down with both ultimately receiving this type of tribute at some point. Especially if -- actually, when -- Watt eventually joins Johnson in Canton, Ohio. For that to happen, we surely won't have to wait past 2028, when the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, who is also just one of three players in NFL history to post 100-plus career sacks, 25-plus forced career fumbles and 70-plus career passes defensed, will first be eligible for the Hall.
Lynch's statue should be modeled after the famed “Beast Quake” run in the Seahawks' 2010 Wild Card Game win over the New Orleans Saints. Marshawn was the face of those great Seahawks teams of that era -- at least, on the offensive side of the football, racking up 6,381 rushing yards and 58 rushing TDs in his six seasons with Seattle. Now, I know I might be bending the rules with what I'm about to say next here, but this is my piece, so go ahead and deal with this additional proclamation: I’d also like to see the Legion of Boom -- the 'Hawks' dominant secondary, which featured Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, among others -- get its recognition in statue form as well.
I wrestled with this one, because the Cardinals have a great tribute to Pat Tillman outside of State Farm Stadium, which really raises the bar high in terms of who else should enter such company. But Fitzgerald absolutely delivered. A class act both on and off the field during his 17-year career with the Cardinals, he finished with the second-most receiving yards in NFL history (17,492, behind only Jerry Rice), earned 11 Pro Bowl selections and won the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year award. This Cardinals icon is very deserving of such an honor.
