The age-old debate surrounding the New England Patriots dynasty often revolves around Tom Brady versus Bill Belichick. Is it the latter who had a perfect vision and executed it perfectly, or is it Brady who carried the team for two long decades? Now, once again, this dilemma has taken a new turn with Colin Cowherd weighing in on the matter. The release of the docuseries “The Dynasty,” on Apple TV has sparked the conversation about the Patriots’ historic 20-year run, yet again. However, the sportscaster’s bold assertions about the matter were in favor of Belichick’s role in the team’s success, which is more than surprising.
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During his banter session on ‘The Herd’, Colin Cowherd emphasized Belichick’s daring decision to stick with Brady over Drew Bledsoe in the 2001 season. He also noted how the now-former head man was fired from the Browns only a season back; therefore, he didn’t have any reason to risk his first head coaching job for a ‘kid‘ and on the back of a sub-par 5-11 debut season.
“Belichick put his neck out,” Cowherd said. “His career was on the line. … That took guts. I know the internet wasn’t a big thing (then), but let’s not do revisionist history here.”
Moreover, Colin stated how Bledsoe signed the biggest contract in the league’s history in 2001, a 10-year $103 million deal, to be exact, but the head man decided to bench him over a fourth-string QB. He said,
“Drew Bledsoe was good. This wasn’t some stiff. This was a top-10 quarterback in the league. Big guy. Top pick that could sling it.”
"That took guts. I know the internet wasn't a big thing, but let's not do revisionist history here."
— @ColinCowherd on Bill Belichick sticking with Tom Brady over Drew Bledsoe pic.twitter.com/4Wj0vXTU0t
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 16, 2024
Drew Bledsoe became instrumental in the Patriots’ success in 2001, as he held the ground for the Pats in the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after Brady suffered an ankle injury. However, Belichick still let TB12 start in the Super Bowl over his prized possession, Cowerd further said.
No one Liked Bill Belichick’s Idea to Star Tom Brady Over Bledsoe
The New England Patriots history is a glorious one, with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick as its obvious centerpieces. Nonetheless, the momentous decision to replace Bledsoe didn’t go well with the NFL world. The now-former playmaker faced a truckload of backlash from not only fans but also the Kraft family and, of course, the press.
“Robert Kraft did not like the move, the Boston media did not like the move. The star, highly-compensated Drew Bledsoe, did not like the move,” Cowherd said.
It’s worth mentioning that Drew Bledsoe suffered a sheared blood vessel in his chest in the 2001 season after Mo Lewis threw a hard hit. This was considered a reason that catapulted Bill Belichick into changing his team’s centerpiece, eschewing with backlash.
Bill Belichick chose Tom Brady over Drew Bledsoe as the New England Patriots starting quarterback for Super Bowl XXXVI nineteen years ago today.
The rest is history.
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) January 31, 2021
Even amidst skepticism and uncertainty, Bill Belichick’s and Brady’s joint efforts paved the way for unprecedented success. As the team clinched its first championship with Brady as the MVP, the foundation for a historic dynasty was laid, thanks to Belichick’s bold and visionary leadership. What do you think? Was it more Belichick than the Golden Boy with seven rings? Let us know in the comments below!
