The New England Patriots have officially immortalized Tom Brady with a towering bronze statue outside Gillette Stadium. The 12-foot figure, standing atop a granite base that pushes the height to 17 feet, was unveiled Friday afternoon in front of a large, chanting crowd.

Buccacio is the artist who designed the about-to-be-unveiled statue of the Patriots legend. He wanted to see Brady react when he saw himself in bronze. “I’ve spent enough time looking at it. I wanted to see what he was going to think,” said Buccacio, who the Patriots selected over several other interested sculptors to create the project.