FOXBOROUGH — While the thousands of fans who crammed themselves into every possible viewing spot stared at the curtain with anticipation, Jeff Buccacio watched Tom Brady.

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.

There’s always pressure at an unveiling, but this wasn’t any project. Buccacio, 53, is from Natick. He grew up watching and cheering for Brady with the rest of the region. Brady wasn’t just someone to sculpt. He was familiar, the source of so many great memories.

“I grew up with

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