Debates over whether quarterback Tom Brady or coach Bill Belichick is most responsible for the Patriots dynasty have raged for over a decade at this point. While many used Brady’s success after leaving New England for the Buccaneers—with whom he won his seventh Super Bowl in 2020–21—as evidence that he supersedes Belichick, he dismisses the entire argument.
The coach and quarterback were reunited on the most recent episode of Brady’s Let’s Go podcast after Brady announced his retirement from the NFL. As Belichick reflected on Brady’s legendary career, which he called “the greatest,” Brady attempted to put to bed the endless NFL debate.
“For me, there’s nobody I’d rather be associated with,” Brady said, via NBC Sports Boston. “From my standpoint, I think it’s always a stupid conversation to say, ‘Brady vs. Belichick’ because, in my mind, that’s not what a partnership is about. Coach couldn’t play quarterback and I couldn’t coach. The best part about football is, and Coach says it a lot: Do your job. And he asked me to play quarterback. He didn’t ask me to coach.
Brady says he believes that much of the debate stemmed from those who were tired of the franchise’s two decades atop the league.
“In my view, people were always trying to pull us apart,” Brady said. “I don’t think we ever felt like that with each other. We never were trying to pull each other apart. We actually were always trying to go in the same direction.
“When we were in New England for 20 years together, they get tired of writing the same story. So, once they write all the nice things and championships, and then they just start going, ‘Well this works, let’s start trying to divide them.’ I never really appreciated those ways that people would try to do that. He and I always had a great relationship.”
The debate was fueled by Brady’s departure in 2020, and insinuations that the working relationship between the two had deteriorated in recent years. With a few seasons apart and Brady’s Hall of Fame career appearing to be over, it is apparent that both Brady and Belichick still have the utmost respect for one another.
