Tom Brady has hailed New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick as the greatest head coach of all time, saying the 70-year-old is "going to go down as the greatest coach of all time. He’s done an incredible job, certainly with the Patriots. ... He's an amazing coach."
The two won six Super Bowl rings together with the Patriots, and were unquestionably the most incredible sporting team of the millennium. Now, they're on different teams, and both seem within any chance on earth of winning another ring.
Despite becoming probably the best one-two punch since Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers, there's something to be said for the fact their breakup was a long time coming and, when it did, few were surprised in any way.
Brady once stated: “I don’t ever want to play for another coach. I don’t want to play for another owner. But this is professional sports. I’ve seen some of the best players I’ve ever played with on other teams.” Just three years later, he was playing in Tampa Bay for a different coach, for the first time ever.
Back in 2017, Brady made a promise to stay with the New England Patriots. The rest of the quote from his interview with Peter King of The MMQB went on to foreshadow his dramatic exit from the franchise just two years later.
“I’ve seen Jerry Rice play for the Raiders, Joe Montana play for the Chiefs, Brett Favre play for a lot of teams," he continued. "You never know. That’s why I want to keep taking care of what I need to take care of.”
The quote made sense given four years earlier, Brady and the Pats agreed to a three-year contract extension to keep him playing in Foxborough through the 2017 season. The deal reflected New England owner Robert Kraft’s desire to ensure Brady retired as a Patriot when the iconic quarterback eventually called time on his illustrious career.
Brady wanted to retire with the Patriots as the team had been his home - the only one he had known in a professional setting - and his relationship with Kraft was strong. However, Brady’s relationship with legendary head coach Belichick was reportedly strained for some time, particularly off the field and away from the x’s and o’s.
No NFL coach demands more of his players than defensive mastermind Belichick, who took over back in 2000. His no-nonsense, business-like approach meshed well with Brady’s unrelenting dedication to his craft, creating the most successful quarterback-head coach tandem as the Patriots dynasty took hold.
The Pats dynasty - fuelled by the trifecta of Brady, Belichick and Kraft - is regarded as one of the greatest in sports history. The Patriots reached the Super Bowl on nine occasions, winning six championships during that period.
However, Brady reportedly grew weary of the intense work environment while he was still frustrated by Belichick’s plans to install Jimmy Garoppolo as the Pats quarterback before he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers ahead of the 2017 season. The coach was dedicated to winning and was cautious as Brady’s longevity took him to age 40 and beyond.
In August 2019, Brady signed a two-year contract extension worth $70million (£60.9m) to keep him in New England through the 2021 season - but the terms of the contract allowed the quarterback to become a free agent after the 2019 season concluded. The contract stipulated that the Patriots could not franchise or transition tag the veteran player, allowing him the freedom to move.
When the 2019 season reached its end, Brady wanted to negotiate a longer term contract with the Patriots to have him to retire with the New England franchise. Kraft was on board but coach Belichick was reluctant and reportedly unwilling to offer the longer-term deal that Brady sought after.
Brady played his worst season since 2013 as the Patriots crashed out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round at home to the Tennessee Titans. Many speculated whether Brady was truly done in New England, and he was said to have felt unwanted by the franchise which ultimately solidified his decision to leave. The feeling had been brewing for years as his coach had not exactly hidden his desire to recruit Brady's successor.
A call between the two during Brady’s free agency was reportedly problematic, and it ultimately led to Kraft’s nightmare: on March 20 2020, Brady - who had wanted to retire as a Patriot - signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After the announcement, billboards arose around Massachusetts thanking Brady for his services as Kraft paid tribute to his long-time quarterback and friend.
Brady won Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers to claim a seventh championship ring while the Patriots struggled. When he returned to face the Patriots in the regular season in 2021, Brady embraced Kraft and spent a considerable amount of time in the locker room after the game with Belichick, with the coach suggesting the duo enjoyed a private catch up.
Following the Bucs’ win, Kraft spoke glowingly of Brady and admitted he would like to see the future Hall of Famer retire as a member of the Patriots. Only time will tell if Kraft’s final wish will come true - but, like Rice, Montana and Favre before him, Brady’s promise got broken by the brutal decision of his ruthless head coach.
