Robert Kraft 'Excited' for Patriots' Game vs. Tom Brady in NE: 'I Love Him'

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he's "excited" for Tom Brady's return to Gillette Stadium as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"Excited to have him," Kraft told TMZ Sports on Friday. "He's a great guy, and he did so much for us. I love him."

The 2021 NFL schedule was released Wednesday night, with the Brady and the Bucs making the trip north to Foxborough for a Week 4 clash on Oct. 3.

"We should have a fun night!" Kraft said. "But I'm excited for Week 1 ... and we play Miami."

Brady spent the first 20 years of his career with the Pats, leading the franchise to six Super Bowl titles and winning three NFL MVP Awards. He left in free agency last March and proceeded to lead the Buccaneers to a championship.

The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer commented on his return to face New England in a Twitter post Thursday:

While Tampa Bay is once again among the chief title contenders heading into next season, the Patriots continue to search for Brady's permanent replacement. They re-signed Cam Newton and drafted Mac Jones out of Alabama with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft.

"We're excited to have [Jones], but I'm excited to have Cam Newton too," Kraft told TMZ. "I pay Bill Belichick a lot of money. He can decide that."

Brady's first game against New England will air in prime time on NBC's Sunday Night Football, and it won't be a surprise if it ends up as the highest-rated television broadcast of the regular season.