In 2020, when Tom Brady decided to depart New England after 20 seasons, questions surfaced about why Brady left after 20 very successful seasons.
Brady won six Super Bowls and made 13 AFC championship games. In all, Brady played in 45 percent of the Super Bowls during his tenure in Foxboro. He also participated in 65 percent of the AFC conference’s title games. So why would he all of a sudden want out?
Well according to ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, head coach Bill Belichick is the reason Brady bolted for sunny Tampa, Florida.
The breakup brought to an end the most successful coach and quarterback tenure in NFL history.
Smith Isn’t Sold On Belichick Being Successful Without Brady:
Smith believes Belichick will continue to be subpar at-best without Brady at the helm. During Friday’s episode of “First Take” Smith laid into Belichick.
“Bill Belichick … bro, every year that you’re without Tom Brady, you look worse. Because you didn’t want to keep him there. We heard the news about Tom Brady wanting to leave because Bill Belichick wasn’t that receptive to keeping him, getting Jimmy Garoppolo, drafting him with a second round pick.”
Smith continued his rant.
"Every year without Tom Brady, Bill Belichick looks worse."
"Every year that goes on, we're going to forget how great he was. We'll say he wasn't able to evolve and be successful without 12." pic.twitter.com/RbRUkq3VSe
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 18, 2022
“So the belief it Tom Brady was forced out. And Robert Kraft told me personally, I’m quoting here, if there was a way, if Tom had said, I want to stay, he’d be here. Yeah, but we all know that Bill Belichick, wouldn’t, quote-unquote, kiss the ring the ring per se?
“And that’s why Tom Brady said it’s time to move on. That is attached to Bill Belichick. And so when we look at him and we see the struggles. We see what cover Tom Brady provided and the fact that you essentially pushed your cover out the door. That’s where the legacy gets a bit of a stain on it, because damn, because the brother been gone for 2-3 years, what’s up.”
"Every year without Tom Brady, Bill Belichick looks worse."
"Every year that goes on, we're going to forget how great he was. We'll say he wasn't able to evolve and be successful without 12." pic.twitter.com/RbRUkq3VSe
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 18, 2022
Together the duo went 249-75, including 30-11 in the playoffs. Their nine Super Bowl appearances together is five more than any other coach and quarterback duo in NFL history.
Belichick May Have Found A QB: But Can They Put It Together?
In 2014, Belichick drafted Jimmy Garoppolo with the 62nd overall pick. Belichick’s intent was to have Garoppolo, the former Eastern Illinois product, succeed Brady in the very near future. That never came to fruition, as Brady reportedly played a role in Garoppolo being traded to the Niners. Belichick also denied the rumor, but that still hasn’t stopped pundits from saying that’s what happened.
Either way, it was the right decision for the Patriots as they went on to win two more Super Bowls after the rumor of Garoppolo succeeding Brady, including one after he was dealt to the Niners in 2017.
In 2020, Belichick signed former NFL MVP, Cam Newton, and that relationship was doomed from the jump. With COVID-19 ravaging the world and Newton’s ever declining skill set, it wasn’t a good match. In 2021, Belichick may have drafted his franchise quarterback in former Alabama Crimson Tide signal-caller Mac Jones.
As a rookie Jones led the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth. But that was with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (who left to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders) calling the plays.
Now Jones is getting his plays from Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, two former head coaches who flopped as top men. In addition, neither worked on the offensive side of the ball prior. They were defensive and special teams coordinators. And because of that, one could see why Smith believes Belichick will struggle more without Brady, who has already won a Super Bowl without Bill.
