Getty Former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Prepare to break the bank if you want to see the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots battle in Week 1. The regular-season opener is already the most in-demand ticket on the entire NFL schedule, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The average ticket price is $807 per seat on the resale market.
Why are people going so bonkers for the Eagles-Patriots game? One reason: Tom Brady. No, the greatest quarterback of all time won’t be suiting up at Gillette Stadium but he will be in attendance as the Patriots celebrate the man who guided them to six Super Bowl titles. New England owner Robert Kraft announced the news on Twitter in what will be the “beginning of many celebrations to honor Tom Brady.” Remember, Brady spent 20 years in a Patriots uniform before taking his talents to Tampa Bay and winning another championship ring without Bill Belichick.
“The greatest player in the history of the game played right here in Foxboro, and I’m happy to tell you…I invited him back to come here and be with us at the opening game.”
Robert Kraft on honoring @TomBrady at @GilletteStadium.
Congratulations to the GOAT from the franchise that makes him “cringe.” No details were given about whether Nick Foles will make the short trip up to Foxboro to (finally?) shake hands with his old pal. Kickoff is slated for 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, September 12 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Howie Roseman Discusses Patriots, Schedule Release
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman recently joined Pro Football Talk for a 1-on-1 interview with Mike Florio. The two men enjoyed some fan banter, borderline contentious at times while discussing everything from Jonathan Gannon’s tampering charges to the 2023 NFL draft. Roseman also commented briefly on the challenge of shipping up to Boston for a tough Week 1 matchup against the Patriots on the same night that franchise was set to honor Tom Brady.
“Anything that’s not positive for us, I want that to happen to another team, there’s no doubt about it,” Roseman told Florio. “We’re selfish about that but I think that’s one of the things you get when you’re playing in New England in Week 1 and, obviously, it’s going to be a fired-up crowd, great test right off the bat for our football team.”
Let it marinate
When Florio pressed Roseman about providing flimsy answers in regard to discussing major rivalry games on the 2023 schedule, things got interesting. Roseman took it personally and fired back at Florio:
Roseman: “You’re calling me a liar? Is that what you’re doing? It’s early in the relationship to be calling me a liar.
Florio: “I think you don’t want to say anything that’s going to cause a soundbite so you’re very neutral.”
Roseman: “And I think you want me to create a soundbite. So you’re the opposite way, so we’re on opposite angles here.”
Eagles Earning National Praise (Again)
The Eagles are expected to once again compete for a Lombardi Trophy after knocking the draft out of the park, then filling key holes with under-the-radar signings in free agency. They have virtually no weaknesses on the roster. In fact, NFL Media’s Eric Edholm called them the most complete team in the league: “They came up just short in Super Bowl LVII, but there’s no reason to think the state of the Eagles’ roster isn’t as good as — if not better than — it was a year ago.”
Things we love to see
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Seth Walder ranked the Eagles No. 3 in his first power index behind the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. However, Philadelphia owned the best odds of any team to win the Super Bowl at 14% by ESPN’s complicated rating and projection model. Go figure.