Tom Brady got emotional when speaking about New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, putting to bed any rumours of a bitter feud prior to his 2020 move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady, 45, and Belichick, 71, joined the Patriots at the same time in 2000. The quarterback was the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft but went on to carve out a legendary career, certifying himself as one of the league's best-ever, while spending most of his career playing under Belichick.
Together, Brady and Belichick won six Super Bowls in New England, with their first coming in the 2001 season with a 20-17 win over the then St Louis Rams. Their last championship together at the Patriots came in the 2018 season, two years before Brady departed from the North East in search of a new challenge with the Buccaneers, where he went on to win his seventh and final Super Bowl before retiring twice.
Reports surfaced of friction between Brady, Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and personal trainer Alex Guerrero. But both Brady and Belichick have denied having a feud and continue to love each other to this day, with the former getting emotional when talking about the coach's impact on his career.
"I think it's more what did he not do to bring out the best in me," Brady said earlier this year following a pause of reflection. Brady went on to say that Belichick saw something in him that "not a lot of other people did".
Belichick also recently named Brady as the best offensive player of all time and gave two additional names for other phases of the game. "I feel like I've coached the best offensive player, the best player in football in Tom (Brady); the best defensive player in football in L.T. (Lawrence Taylor), and the best special-teams player in football in Matt Slater," Belichick said while talking to former NFL executive turned analyst Mike Tannenbaum.
Belichick is gearing up for his 24th season with the Patriots and it could be one of his last, with the coach potentially joining Brady in retirement. In his career as head coach, Belichick has 329 victories (including playoffs), placing him second for the most in NFL history behind Don Shula’s record of 347.
Keion White, a second-round 2023 NFL Draft selection, has praised Belichick's hands-on approach, with the coach determined to put last season's wrongs right. White says he appreciates Belichick's honest nature, which will undoubtedly help him improve. "It’s been a real dope experience, not going to lie to you,” White told reporters earlier this month. “Just with Bill, he’s really hands-on. He knows everybody’s position, and he teaches you the ins and outs and everything like that. I respect that.
"Not afraid to tell you the truth, and tell you what he’s thinking — at all. And I kind of cling to that, and I like that and appreciate that. That’s what I ask from all my coaches: just tell me the truth, whether it be good, bad, anywhere in between. I’ve been fortunate enough to have that most of my career, and Bill brings that to another level. He really tells you like it is, but I appreciate that.”
