Tom Brady shares message to David Andrews after NFL retirement

Patriots

“The heart and soul of any great team is the offensive line, and you were the leader. You were right in the middle.”

Tom Brady congratulated David Andrews on Monday after the former center retired from pro football. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

After David Andrews officially hung up his spikes on Monday and announced his retirement from pro football, the longtime Patriots center received well wishes from several of his former New England teammates via video.

In a nine-minute video tribute to Andrews, multiple ex-Patriots saluted Andrews on a standout career, including Tom Brady.

“David, congratulations my man. Welcome to the other side,” Brady said in the video. “You couldn’t have had a better career. You were not only a great teammate, but you were a champion. And playing that center position for our team all those years. As you know, the heart and soul of any great team is the offensive line, and you were the leader. You were right in the middle.

“I loved every minute with you,” Brady later added. “I loved being your quarterback. I’m with you every step of the way. You deserve this day. Congratulations.”

Brady was far from the only noteworthy Patriots player to congratulate Andrews on a 10-year NFL career. Joe Thuney, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, Nate Solder, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, James White, Devin McCourty, Matthew Slater, Duron Harmon, Jason McCourty, Brian Hoyer, Lawrence Guy, Trey Flowers, Jarrett Stidham and AJ Derby also took part in the tribute.

Andrews played a key role in helping Brady and the Patriots close out a two-decade dynasty with two final Super Bowl titles in 2016 and 2018, while also earning team captain nods in eight of his 10 seasons in Foxborough.

Even with those championships on his resume, Andrews stressed in his address Monday that those titles were not the main takeaways from his 10 years in Foxborough.

“The Super Bowls, they’ll remain the same forever, but the relationships will mean more to you at the end of the day than the rings and trophies and all of that,” Andrews said “That’s got to be the biggest gift.

“I’ve got lifelong friends, guys I know I can call on when I need something, and that’s the most important thing at the end of the day. … “I hope each and every one of you know — when I stepped on the field, I gave everything I had.”