The New England Patriots hit the jackpot in the 2000 NFL Draft, by selecting Tom Brady as the 199th pick. It was a risky move by Bill Belichick. Despite having Drew Bledsoe, the Former Patriots HC introduced the ex-Michigan QB which did not initially go well with the front office. But history proved him right as the Patriots bagged 6 Super Bowl wins alongside Brady, to create a dynasty.
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The narrative around the personal relationship between the young QB and the experienced Head Coach deserves several revisits. It is a tale of many highs and lows. Notably, a throwback video shared by NFL Reports shows Bill Belichick’s first conversation with Tom Brady.
“Congratulations. Well, we’re excited to have you. Sorry to make you wait so long,” were the first words offered by Bill, when he passed on his greetings to young Brady. The astute HC extended an apology because Tom Brady had to wait till the sixth round, to get drafted as the 199th pick. It is not clear how Brady responded to Belichick. But Brady soon repaid the faith shown by Belichick, with a record-breaking career.
Revisiting the NFL Draft moment, Tom Brady’s dad, Tom Brady Sr. also admitted that his son was indeed nervous. Because Brady feared getting snubbed by the NFL. “We were sitting there on the sofa downstairs in the family room. And finally, we got a call that Bill Belichick was on the line,” the 79-year-old dad said, as he gave a glimpse of how the family supported Brady in the Draft.
Years later, Tom and Bill marched ahead to script unreal success. In the next 20 years, the dynamic duo won 17 division titles, 9 AFC championships, and six Super Bowls, carving a legacy. The association ended when TB12 left the team and joined the Buccaneers after the 2019 season. Why did he leave Bill Belichick despite the success? Brady once opened up about it to the media.
Why Did Tom Brady Leave the Patriots?
Breaking his silence after five years, Tom said he would not play for New England with Bill Belichick as the head coach. Notably, he didn’t blame the head coach but shed light on the circumstances that made the QB-HC relation untenable. The NFL titan shared these words while talking in the docuseries The Dynasty:
“Me and coach Belichick, we did what we loved and competed for 20 years together. But I wasn’t going to sign another contract in New England even if I wanted to play until I was 50. Based on how things had gone, I wasn’t going to sign up for more of it,” he said.
Tom’s honest words expressed his desire to play until 50, but what disappointed the fans was that he hinted at his dissatisfaction with the Patriots team environment, and it eventually led to his decision to move out of Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.
After Brady’s exit, the Patriots were never the same team, and after a disastrous 2023 season, the former Super Bowl champions courteously showed the door to Bill Belichick. It marked the end of an era. Two weeks later, Jerod Mayo filled the void Bill Belichick left.
