Tom Brady clears the air on rumored rivalry with Patriots HC Bill Belichick
Before Tom Brady was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was a founding member of the New England Patriots dynasty. He and head coach Bill Belichick formed one of the most formidable coach-quarterback duos in history, though that relationship eventually ended.
The quarterback left for greener pastures in 2020 and immediately won the Super Bowl. Rumors of a rift or rivalry with Belichick cropped up as a result. Brady mentioned his former head coach and those rumors on the Let's Go! podcast:
"He's gonna go down as, you know, the greatest coach of all time. He's done just an incredible job, certainly with the Patriots and he learned a lot over the years with the Giants, the Jets, the Browns, you know, as history goes way back, so, you know, you should feel good about those things."
Belichick recently won his 325th game, which put him in second place all-time behind Don Shula. Brady was very proud of his former mentor:
"It's a lifetime achievement award is as well and he's put a lot into it. And he's taught a lot of people the game of football in a very detailed way he believes in the fundamentals."
He continued:
"He believes in the techniques, he believes in preparation, hard work, discipline, toughness, all the things that are sustainable over overtime, and they're all great lessons to learn in life, too. So he's an amazing coach. And again, I was very lucky to play for him all those years."
The two's working relationship might have ended, but it doesn't appear to have ended on bad terms.
Is Tom Brady going to retire this year?
The legendary quarterback briefly retired this offseason ahead of his 23rd NFL season. He returned, though that may have factored into his divorce, which is soon to be finalized. Many speculated, based on Gisele Bundchen's reported unhappiness with his decision, that this would be his final year. However, since he's getting a divorce, that might not be the case.
He has occasionally mentioned next season and remains committed to the team, so it's not hard to see him playing for another campaign or two. At some point, he will get too old, but it doesn't appear that that day is coming soon.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit the Let's Go! podcast and H/T Sportskeeda.