Tom Brady Claims He Was Not Bill Belichick’s Favorite, and Rob Gronkowski Agrees

Sauvik Banerjee | 09/12/2024
Former quarterback and current NFL announcer Tom Brady looks on before the game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.

The New England Patriots dynasty might have come to an end, but the unbreakable partnership between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will forever be spoken about. However, despite their glorious run, TB12 claims he wasn’t Bill’s favorite among the coach’s star players — him, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.

Brady had a joyful reunion with his former teammates during a surprise visit to the Fox studio for the Sunday Night Football countdown. He had a fun time with them, with the network even making a special segment — FoxBros. Yes, a creative allusion to Foxborough, where the Patriots are based.

The segment included a game where the trio picked one of three placards with their names on it while answering the questions asked. The goal was simple: to determine who among the three knew his teammates the best? And the very first question was who out of them was Belichick’s favorite.

“Oh easy,” Brady said before picking up Julian’s placard. Gronkowski, too, voted for Julian, saying it was an easy pick.

“Get out of here,” Jules rebutted with Brady’s placard in his hand. “I’m just not sensitive.”

Meanwhile, Michael Strahan, who was sitting across the studio claimed that even he “knew the answer to that one.” His body language suggested that it was Edelman.

Though it may have come as a big surprise to many, Gronkowski had the perfect explanation for it. “Julian took the most team-friendly deal of all time,” he said. Since Bill was also the team’s GM, it couldn’t have been a bigger gesture.

But let’s not forget that Brady also made sure he wasn’t becoming an overpaid QB. He always had his best weapons around by being mindful of the salary cap space for his team, while also putting in extra work behind the scenes with Belichick in the film room.

This sure makes one wonder how Belichick grew fond of Julian when a player like Brady is every coach’s dream.

Post Edited By: Leslie Xavier
Julian Edelman Rob Gronkowski Tom Brady

About the author

Sauvik Banerjee

Sauvik Banerjee

Sauvik Banerjee is an NFL Content Strategist with a degree in English and Economics. A dedicated fan of the game for over seven years, his passion for football ignited after witnessing Tom Brady orchestrate the 28-3 comeback. In over three years of writing, but mostly strategizing, Sauvik has penned more than 1,300 articles, mainly focusing on the human stories behind the players and how the sport has transformed their lives. He loves watching Lamar Jackson on the field, as he is drawn to his dynamic, unpredictable style of play. When he’s not writing about football, you’ll find Sauvik running—something he’s loved since his track and field days. But one thing he is not wired to do is turn down a challenge on the chess board.

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