Bigger New England Celebration: Patriots' Tom Brady vs. Celtics' Larry Bird

Tom Brady's induction to the New England Patriots Hall of Fame may be one of the biggest events in Boston sports history.

Sep 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots former quarterback Tom Brady / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots legend Tom Brady made his triumphant return to Gillette Stadium last fall for a ceremony in his honor, but that's just the first of many celebrations for the GOAT.

On June 12, the Patriots will induct Brady into the team's Hall of Fame, and they're going all-out for the occasion. Not only are they holding the celebration inside Gillette Stadium, a first for a Hall of Fame ceremony, but according to ESPN's Mike Reiss, it could be one of the biggest sporting events in New England's recent history.

Sep 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots former quarterback Tom Brady / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

"For longtime New England sports fans, it sounds like this could be similar to the historic "Larry Bird Night" in1993," Reiss writes.

For those not in the know, "Larry Bird Night" (Feb. 4, 1993) was when the Boston Celtics honored the three-time NBA champion following his retirement six months prior. According to reports at the time, that game was "the toughest ticket to get since the 1984 NBA Finals," nearly nine years earlier. Many prominent sports figures were in attendance that night, from Los Angeles Lakers star and Bird's main rival Earvin "Magic" Johnson to Boston Bruins icon Bobby Orr, making for a truly special event.

If Brady's induction to the Patriots Hall of Fame can truly rival "Larry Brid Night," it will be a ceremony for the ages.

Brady spent 20 seasons in New England, guiding the Patriots to all six of their Super Bowl victories. He then spent the final three seasons of his legendary career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, picking up a seventh Super Bowl ring along the way.

While Brady may not have ended his career in New England, he'll always be a Patriot at heart.