Amid the New England Patriots’ struggles to put wins on the board this season, former superstar of the organization, Tom Brady, doesn’t think head coach Bill Belichick is entirely to blame.
Brady, 46, defended the 71-year-old Belichick on Monday, calling him an “amazing coach” despite New England’s 2-8 record on the season during an appearance at The Stephen A. Smith Show.
Smith asked the retired quarterback, who won six Super Bowls for New England under Belichick, if it might be time for the Patriots coach to “move on” from his position now that “the era of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick is over.”
Brady responded, “He’s the best coach, I believe, in the history of the game, so I don’t know. It’s hard for me to think about him not being in New England.”
The Brady-Belichick era is considered one of the most dominant dynasties in sports history, and Brady told Smith, “I don’t think he’s coaching any different now than when we were undefeated in 2007.”
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Tom Brady; Bill Belichick. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
The soon-to-be Fox Sports reporter explained that Belichick’s ability to prepare his team for success “very well” is among the coach’s greatest strengths.
“Ultimately, you have to have a lot of people around you to be successful. You have to have a lot of things in place for an organization to be successful,” Brady explained.
“I’m sure he prepares the team in the same way.” he added, acknowledging that “the results are different” this season for New England. “But then again, that’s why the sport is so challenging,” Brady explained. “There are many reasons why teams win or lose.”
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Bill Belichick; Tom Brady. Stan Grossfeld/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
In 2022, Belichick shared a similar fondness for his former quarterback.
In a tribute to Brady following the announcement of his first retirement in 2022 (Brady retired shortly after and played one more season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Belichick called Brady “the ultimate competitor and winner.”
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“Tom’s humble beginnings in pro football eventually culminated in him becoming the greatest player in NFL history,” Belichick continued.
“His pursuit of excellence was inspiring. Tom was a professional on and off the field, conducting himself with class, integrity and kindness. I thank Tom for his tireless pursuit of excellence and positive influence on me and the New England Patriots over 20 years.”
Regardless of what Brady or sports pundits think about Belichick’s future in New England, he’s unlikely to leave after quietly signing a large, multi-year extension with the team during the offseason, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“His contract [is] one of New England’s best-kept secrets. That said, I think it’s fair to say that there was at least some suspense or intrigue around him,” Rapoport explained. “Now, contractually, he’s locked up long-term.”
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