Davon Godchaux: Patriots ‘definitely got to get a win’ in Tom Brady’s return

The Patriots will honor Brady during their home opener.

As announced Thursday morning by owner Robert Kraft, the New England Patriots will honor legendary quarterback Tom Brady during the team’s home opener. Current members of the team know the stakes that brings.

“That’s going to be big,” Davon Godchaux said Thursday at Gillette Stadium. “A lot of people are looking forward to that. That’s probably sold out already. We don’t even know who the home opener is, and it’s probably sold out because Tom’s coming back. But that’s going to be big. Arguably the greatest quarterback ever, and for him to come back to where it all started, I know all the fans are excited about that.

“He’s done a lot for this program — six Super Bowls with Coach [Bill] Belichick and along with everybody else who participated in those Super Bowls. It’s going to be exciting to have him.”

Brady’s return will mark the second time he’s back in Foxboro since leaving New England in 2020. As a member of the Buccaneers, Brady took the field at Gillette Stadium in Week 4 of the 2021 season.

Godchaux, who was on the field for that game, noted the night was, “very emotional for a lot of people.”

While the opponent for this year’s Week 1 game is not yet confirmed, multiple reports signal that matchup being against the reigning NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles. While Godchaux and Co. want to win every game, that one stands out.

“We’ve definitely got to get a win,” he said. “We want to get a win every game, but that game, we’ve definitely got to get a win. A legend’s coming back, so we’ve definitely got to show out.”

Securing that win won’t be easy, as Philadelphia will provide a tough matchup for the Patriots right out of the gate. The Super Bowl runner-ups return a high-powered offense, which is led by $255 million dollar quarterback Jalen Hurts.

The mobile quarterback will be a strong benchmark to see where Godchaux and the Patriots defense lines up against one of the league’s best.

“I’m always excited to play tough competition,” Godchaux said. “We’re always up to the task. That’s why we practice hard, that’s why we work hard in the offseason, to play in games like that.”