When legendary quarterback Tom Brady left the New England Patriots, there seemed to be some outward tension between him and head coach Bill Belichick. However, time heals wounds and changes perspectives.
Belichick recently appeared on Hang Out with Sean Hannity. There, the topic of Brady’s departure for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came up. Speaking his mind, Belichick gave a surprisingly honest answer that Brady’s leaving the Patriots was the right thing for him to do.
“You know, Tom leaving was absolutely the right thing for him to do,” Belichick said. “We didn’t have a good team in 2020. We just didn’t have a good football team. We had all those guys that left – (Rob) Gronkowski and (Julian) Edelman. Most of our team was gone. (Devin) McCourty and a few others were still there, but they were about to go too. We were just at the end.”
Brady left the Patriots during the 2020 offseason, signing with Tampa Bay. While there, he would go on to win another Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and solidify his legacy. Meanwhile, the Patriots stumbled as a franchise before needing to move on from Belichick.
“Honestly, I was happy for him that things worked out well for him in Tampa, because he was with a team – and then he went on and won,” Belichick said. “That made me happy for him, because Tom – it wouldn’t have gone well in 2020 in New England. On this, I can guarantee that.”
What’s interesting about these comments from Belichick is that they are in line with how he handled the roster during his time with the Patriots. Star players, once on the decline, would be shipped out or cut. Brady leaving New England as the team slips backwards fits into that mindset.
The Tensions That Led to Tom Brady Leaving the New England Patriots
GettyTom Brady and Bill Belichick for the New England Patriots in 2019.
For a few years before Tom Brady left the New England Patriots, there had been some rumors that a divorce would be coming. Still, they hung on and were looking to make another run in 2019.
Bill Belichick touched on that 2019 run. With less talent than before, they were hoping to make another push with Brady before he, more than likely, would finally be on his way.
“We put everything we had into the 2019 season, including paying him a lot of money at the end of the year without anything attached to it. There was no first right of refusal, there was no franchise tag, nothing. And so we all understood that there was a good chance he would leave,” Belichick said.
“I think he made a great career decision, obviously. I wish we could have done more, but we went as far as we could. And look, he proved it – he played longer than anybody, played at a higher level than anybody. And again, tremendous credit to him. Nobody else did that – that was him.”
Following Brady, Belichick struggled to find a new starting quarterback. That included turning to Cam Newton for a season before drafting Mac Jones in the first round. Neither worked out, though, and now Belichick is coaching at the college level.
Bill Belichick Reflected on His Relationship With Tom Brady
GettyNew England Patriots head coach and quarterback Bill Belichick and Tom Brady
Also in the interview with Sean Hannity, Bill Belichick opened up about how Tom Brady helped change football for him. In particular, allowing him to see the game through the eyes of a quarterback.
“I learned so much from Tom,” Belichick said. “I never played quarterback. Tom saw the game through a quarterback’s eyes. I saw the game through a coach’s eyes. Together, I think we both learned a lot from each other — Tom on how defensive coaches looked at him or looked at offense, and me on what a quarterback can do and what he can’t do, what’s hard, what’s easy, what I can see, what I can’t see, and how you see the game.”
It was a phenomenal partnership in the end. Together, Belichick and Brady won six Super Bowls and, in the process, became synonymous with one another. They’re not just two of the best at what they do in NFL history, but quite arguably the best partnership.
Former Patriots HC Bill Belichick Honest Thoughts on QB Tom Brady’s Departure