Tom Brady finally admits he left New England Patriots because of Bill Belichick
NFL legend Tom Brady has admitted that the breakdown in his relationship with then-head coach Bill Belichick was a key motivation in his decision to leave the New England Patriots.
The pair famously masterminded the Patriots' all-conquering dynasty over an 18-year period following their first Super Bowl success together in 2001. From there, football's most storied duo dovetailed as a partnership en route to five more triumphs on the NFL's grandest stage.
However, in spite of their unprecedented success, it appeared that trouble had arisen in paradise at Gillette Stadium as Brady decided to move on following their last dance in 2019. Having featured in half of the Super Bowls played over his 18 years as a starter, the quarterback shocked his sport as he signed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent.
Now, Brady has reflected on the reasons behind his decision to leave behind the franchise he became synonymous with over the previous two decades. Speaking during an episode of the Apple TV+ docuseries 'The Dynasty', the quarterback great gave a candid response when recalling his motivations.
READ MORE: Patrick Mahomes' Super Bowl heroics earn him massive pay rise ahead of 2024 NFL season
READ MORE: Andy Reid responds to Travis Kelce outburst and shove in fiery Super Bowl LVIII moment
Joe Burrow backs Patrick Mahomes after Kansas City Chiefs reach Super Bowl
"Me and Coach Belichick, we did what we loved and competed for 20 years together. But I wasn't going to sign another contract even if I wanted to play until 50," Brady admitted, according to The Athletic. "Based on how things had gone, I wasn't going to sign up for more of it."
Moreover, Patriots owner Robert Kraft also weighed in on the relationship between the New England icons, saying: "Tom [Brady] and I had a number of discussions about how Bill [Belichick] treated him. Tommy is very sensitive. He was always looking for Bill’s approval, almost in a father-son kind of way. And that’s not Bill’s style ever to give that."
The QB found a $50 million contract waiting for him in Florida, where he eventually played out the last three years of his illustrious career. In that period, Brady tasted further success on the field, winning another Super Bowl, as Belichick struggled to inspire the Patriots to repeating their former glories.
Click to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft finally parted company with long-serving head coach Bill Belichick in early 2024Speaking previously ahead of his first return to face his former employers, he spoke of his respect for his old head coach as he looked back over his career. He admitted: "I have 20 years of being there and obviously he's a great mentor for me. And yes I think there's definitely great lessons I've learned from him. He's a great football coach, and he does a great job for his team."
After four further seasons in the hotseat, Belichick finally departed his role as head coach and de-facto general manager of the Patriots in early 2024. A steady decline in results since Brady's departure was compounded during the nadir of the 2023 campaign, which was New England's poorest in the 21st century thus far.
Explaining the decision to part company with the long-serving figure, franchise owner Kraft admitted: "Well, the last three years have been pretty tough, and I know for our dedicated fans and myself, and (in) life I just learn that things happen. Our family is the custodian of this asset: the New England Patriots."
He added: "We know how important it is to the psyche of the community and what's gone on here the last three, four years isn't what we want. We have a responsibility to do what we can to fix it to the best of our ability."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
