Tom Brady showed up to celebrate Rob Gronkowski, but Boston Globe columnist Ben Volin wanted him to give Patriots fans something to celebrate, too.

Brady’s quiet presence at his former teammate’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction became the centerpiece of a sharp column questioning his relationship with New England. For Volin, attending the ceremony and waving to the crowd fell well short of the occasion.

Ben Volin Takes Aim at Tom Brady’s Quiet Appearance

Gronkowski’s induction took place on Saturday, Nov. 7, with Brady among those attending. The crowd greeted the former quarterback enthusiastically, according to Volin’s account, but never received the storytelling moment the columnist thought the celebration deserved.

“It’s painfully obvious that Tom Brady no longer cares about Boston, New England, or Patriots fans,”Volin wrote in The Boston Globe.

That is Volin’s interpretation of Brady’s behavior. His criticism centered on the gap between the welcome Brady received and how little he publicly contributed to the ceremony.

“He waved to the crowd, but that was it. He sat on stage for an hour like a piece of furniture, not participating,” Volin wrote. “Brady showed up for Gronkowski, but did nothing for the fans.”

The furniture comparison leaves little doubt about how Volin viewed the appearance. In his telling, a few minutes at the microphone would have made an already meaningful day better.

“He may call them ‘the greatest fans in the NFL,’ as he did at his Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2024, and consider himself ‘the messenger here to tell the world just how amazing Patriots fans really are.’ His actions say he doesn’t give a darn,” Volin added.

“Would it have been so hard to share five minutes of Gronk stories?” he asked.

Volin also rejected the argument that Brady speaking would have pulled attention away from the honoree. He believed stories from Gronkowski’s longtime quarterback would have added to the celebration.

It is an understandable expectation for that particular pairing. Fans spent years watching their connection on the field. A ceremony honoring Gronkowski provided a natural setting to hear about moments that never made it to the air.

Still, Brady’s attendance itself was a gesture of support. How much more he owed the audience is the disagreement driving Volin’s column.

Brady’s Foxborough Return Reopens an Emotional Debate

The ceremony was part of a larger reunion weekend. Bradyreturned to Gillette Stadium as Fox’s lead NFL analyst for Sunday’s game against Green Bay, while the Patriots also honored their Super Bowl LI championship team.

The current team had a difficult afternoon. New England lost 45-27, with Drake Maye throwing three first-half interceptions. Despite that performance, Maye ranks No. 4 through Week 9 with aPFN QB Impact Score of 83.7.

Brady was there to evaluate that team from the booth, while the weekend’s celebrations kept pulling the conversation back toward his own era.

Volin’s criticism extended beyond one appearance. He contrasted Brady’s public praise for Patriots supporters with what he considers an insufficient connection to the region after spending 20 seasons there.

The columnist also questioned Brady’s broader community legacy, while acknowledging that his work with Best Buddies “raised tens of millions of dollars.” That acknowledgment complicates any blanket suggestion that Brady left nothing behind off the field.

Ultimately, Volin’s strongest complaint was a small, specific one. He wanted Brady to pick up a microphone and tell a few stories about Gronkowski.

Whether that silence supports his much larger conclusion is open to debate. Brady attended a celebration for an old teammate. Volin saw an opportunity to reconnect with an entire fan base and believes Brady let it pass.