Jayson Tatum, Pats’ Julian Edelman replacing Tom Brady as Best Buddies co-chairs

A changing of the guard is taking place with the Best Buddies Challenge as Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman will replace legendary quarterback Tom Brady as co-chairs of the charity event.

The time has come for a changing of the guard in Boston.

For more than a decade-and-a-half, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been an honorary co-chair of the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port, but will step down in that role this year.

Taking up the mantle will be Boston Celtics swingman Jayson Tatum and Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who will work alongside Brady’s current co-chairs celebrity chef Guy Fieri and U.S. congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III.

The event benefits the Best Buddies program, which describes itself as an

“organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for … friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD),”

and includes a flag football game and bike ride for charity to help fund the organization.

In a press release announcing the change, Brady stated, “It has been one of my greatest honors to serve as an honorary co-chair of the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port”.

“I love meeting the inspiring buddies at events, seeing their smiles, and hearing them talk about how Best Buddies has changed their lives for the better by helping them make friends at school and find meaningful jobs in their local communities,”

continued the six-time Superbowl champ.

“I look forward to continuing to support the organization as a Global Ambassador,” he added.

Tatum is no stranger to charity events himself, having donated time and money to numerous causes, even starting his own charity organization.

That charity, the Jayson Tatum foundation, describes its mission “to positively impact and inspire children, teens and their families,” in a manner similar to the goals of the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port.

Using “education, athletics and other … initiatives,” Tatum’s foundation hopes “to encourage them to strive to fulfill their dreams and aspirations” in a way that suggests the Missouri native will be a seamless fit as one half of the team stepping into the New England football legend’s very big shoes.

While there has been some chatter the move signals a looming retirement or decampment for the Patriots quarterback, it seems the opposite for the Celtics swingman, who will be eligible for a contract extension at the end of the 2019-20 season.

No word from the Duke product on the new role, but we’ll see him on the court soon enough.