Patriots fans split after seeing Tom Brady’s statue for the first time

After having to push back the unveiling of the iconic Tom Brady statue from last summer to this year, Patriots fans were eagerly anticipating the moment it would be erected outside Gillette Stadium as a lasting reminder of the quarterback's impact on the New England area.

Plenty of theories were shared on the internet, especially in the hours leading to the unveiling ceremony, as there seemed to be hints at what could be under the tarp based on its size.

There was hope the statue would be of Brady raising a Lombardi trophy, like the infamous moment after Super Bowl 51, but that's not what it ended up being. Instead, it's a generic image of Brady raising his arm in a victory stance, leaving fans happy that it easily resembled the quarterback, but underwhelmed.

The Tom Brady statue reveal was exciting, yet a bit anticlimactic

Over the past year, numerous conversations have centered on Robert Kraft's decision, which ultimately determined the best way to portray Tom Brady outside of Gillette Stadium. However, the outcome was not what most had hoped for or expected.

While there is no disrespect intended toward the artist, who clearly did an incredible job at ensuring the statue resembled Brady, as compared to some of the more recent statues being unrecognizable as to who they were, there was a lot of hope from fans that a more legendary moment from Brady's career would have been chosen.

That was even more apparent when the base of the statue was seen in the early hours of Friday morning. Then, when Kraft was detailing what the base signified, it felt like depicting one of the six times Brady raised a Lombardi would've fit the vibe completely.

Instead, it's just a basic statue that fans can still admire, but will likely forever wish there was more to it. Regardless, it's still a great addition to Gillette Stadium and an incredible way to honor the greatest quarterback of all time forever in Foxboro.

More Patriots news and analysis: