The New England Patriots‘ quest for yet another Super Bowl came to an end on Sunday thanks to a 20-18 loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was mauled by Denver’s stingy defense, getting sacked, knocked down or otherwise hurried on every other snap it seemed.
Still, overall it was a successful season for the Pats. With that O-line getting worked like it did on Sunday, there’s another level of respect that the Patriots got as far as they did. Brady took some time to acknowledge that in a heartfelt letter penned to Patriots fans, which he posted on Facebook.
The letter reads as follows:
Thank you to all of our fans for the incredible support you gave us this season. I’m proud to call New England my home and to have the privledge [sic] of playing for your team.
Our team fought hard all year, right down to the final play. I’m proud of the effort we all put in to prepare each game as if it were our last. We never quit nor lost sight of what we were playing for. It’s rare to have the honor of being on a team like that.
It takes a lot of hard work and commitment to get as far as we did. Our goal every season is to win the last game, but as I’ve learned, the road to the next one is paved by seasons like this one.
Thanks again,
Yours truly, Tom
On Tuesday, Broncos running back C.J. Anderson also posted a nice message on Instagram about Brady, noting that, like the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Anderson wasn’t a highly sought-after prospect coming into the league. Ultimately, while fans take sides, it’s important to remember all of these coaches and players are competitors. They want to win, but they understand what they’re up against every week. Game respects game, etc. etc.
(Via Tom Brady)
