The New England Patriots reveal their special connection with Ozzy Osbourne’s legacy
The Black Sabbath frontman died at 76, and the AFC East team expressed its gratitude for lending his music to play at Gillette Stadium.
The world is mourning the loss of legendary heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne, and the NFL has joined in paying tribute—most notably through the New England Patriots.
The Black Sabbath frontman passed away at the age of 76, and the AFC East team expressed its gratitude for his long-standing musical contribution to their home games at Gillette Stadium.
“The New England Patriots are saddened to learn of the passing of music legend Ozzy Osbourne, who provided the iconic intro for Patriots games for over 20 years,” they wrote on social media, “Condolences to his family and all who mourn his loss.”
Osbourne made a memorable appearance at Gillette Stadium in September 2005, performing “Crazy Train”—the Patriots’ intro anthem for more than two decades—live before a game against the Oakland Raiders. The performance took place on a stage designed to look like it was inside a Patriots helmet, as the franchise celebrated its Super Bowl XXXIX championship banner unveiling.
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This wasn’t Osbourne’s only connection to the NFL. The godfather of heavy metal also performed during halftime of the Los Angeles Rams’ 2022 season opener against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium, playing “Patient Number 9” and “Crazy Train.” He was joined by Andrew Watt on guitar, Chris Chaney on bass, and Tommy Clufetos on drums.
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