Tom Brady had a legitimate excuse to show up for his postgame press conference in the early hours of Monday morning after winning at New England.
Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick met in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers locker room for 20 minutes after Sunday’s game according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Brady led the Bucs past his former team and coach in a 19-17 victory, marked by an “awkwardly brief” exchange on the field afterward as Florio described it.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick reunite… #BradyvsBelichick
Brady didn’t want to get into the details of the locker room conversation when asked about it. He also downplayed the public perceptions of his relationship with Belichick being strained, which ultimately led to leaving New England for Tampa Bay.
“I mean, all those are personal,” Brady told the media per Florio. “We got a personal relationship, you know, for 20-plus years. He drafted me here. We’ve had a lot of personal conversations that should remain that way and are very private.”
“And I would say so much is made of our relationship,” Brady added. “You know, as I said earlier this week, from a player’s standpoint you just expect the coach to give you everything he’s got, and I’m sure as a player that’s what he was hoping from me. But nothing is really accurate that I ever see. It’s all kind of — definitely doesn’t come from my personal feelings or beliefs. I got a lot of respect for him as a coach and obviously a lot of respect for this organization and all the different people here that try to make it successful.”
Brady: ‘These Guys Are Like My Brothers’
Brady admitted it was a “very emotional week” for him, getting ready to play against former teammates in New England.
“These guys are like my brothers,” Brady told the media. “There’s two groups of people (here). All of my Bucs teammates that I love and I’m going to battle with every week. And there’s another group of guys that I see, and those are my friends that I’ve been with for a long time — Matt Slater, Kyle Van Noy, Dont’a Hightower, Jon (Jones) and Devin (McCourty), David Andrews, and (Brian) Hoyer.”
“These are the people that I’ve shared my life with and (I’m) very grateful for everything that they’ve kind of contributed to my life. Very blessed,” Brady added.
Foxborough Noise Catches’ Brady’s Attention
While Brady knows well what to expect from opposing crowds, a previously less-noticed sound at Gillette Stadium caught his attention.
“That little, what do you call it, that horn? That fog horn (or) whatever? That thing is as loud as can be,” Brady told the media. “You don’t think about it much when the defense is on the field. I just happened to be on the field when that thing is going off. It’s a great home field advantage.”
It’s loud without the crowd noise as Ian Steele caught on video before a 2020 Patriots game.
Brady and the Bucs nonetheless quieted the crowd with two fourth quarter field goals to edge the Patriots, 19-17.
“The fans were amazing,” Brady added. “For our team personally, just for us to get a win on the road in a tough environment — it’s tough to do in the NFL.”
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Bucs’ Tom Brady Gets Candid About Relationship With Bill Belichick