A goat parade for the GOAT: How Boston fans celebrated Tom Brady's return to New England
Tom Brady made his return to New England on Sunday night. Unquestionably, it was a triumphant homecoming for him as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New England Patriots by a score of 19-17.
And while fans of the hometown Patriots likely weren't thrilled with losing to their longtime idol, some fans gathered to celebrate the so-called G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all time) with a parade of... drum roll please, real goats.
If you thought you wouldn’t see the #GOAT in New England until tomorrow, think again! 😉
How cute is this goat parade through #Boston? And what better way to welcome home @TomBrady! 🐐
@boston25 https://t.co/duQsGVZcfF
Bud Light hosted the unique event in celebration of one of the most anticipated games of the season and perhaps in NFL history.
Despite Patriots fans having mixed feelings about the game, they could not help but cheer as a herd of goats wearing Patriots jerseys marched around the Faneuil Hall neighborhood in Boston.
Along the route, Bud Light offered attendees free GOAT parade giveaways and a chance to win tickets to Sunday's game.
Andy Goeler, Vice President of Marketing for Bud Light, explained more about the event.
"Bud Light has always been about bringing football fans together to celebrate big moments, and with Sunday's game being one of the most anticipated match-ups ever, we felt it was only appropriate to celebrate the Boston fanbase."
Goeler went on by saying:
"There will certainly be mixed emotions in the New England area, but as an iconic brand ourselves, we know the city of Boston deserves a memorable experience."
And it certainly was a memorable experience for everyone that went to cheer the GOATs.
Ok, I’ve just seen a #GOAT parade by @budlight with real goats! https://t.co/Hq1clSyFRw
Brady vs. the Patriots
After the goats shined in Faneuil Hall, it was time for the football G.O.A.T. to shine in Foxborough.
But things surely did not go as precisely as Brady planned.
Under heavy rain and facing a brilliant defensive mind in Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Brady was just good enough to leave Gillette Stadium with the win.
Brady attempted 43 passes, completing slightly more than 50% of them (22) for 269 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He was sacked once for a loss of eight yards and finished the game with a passer rating of 70.8.
Mac Jones, the rookie out of Alabama who has the herculean task of replacing Brady, attempted 40 passes, completing 31 for 275 yards with no touchdowns but one interception. He was sacked four times and lost 25 yards. Jones finished the game with a 101.6 passer rating.
In the final minute of regulation, Brady and the Bucs got a little help with kicker Nick Folk's go-ahead 56-yard field goal attempt that bounced off the right upright, giving Brady and the Buccaneers the win.