Retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady didn’t wait long to break his silence on Bill Belichick’s departure from the New England Patriots on Thursday.
In a move that many expected, the Patriots formally announced that Belichick would not return as head coach in 2024. There was no outright firing by owner Robert Kraft nor a resignation on Belichick’s end, as the two reached a mutual agreement on parting ways.
On his Instagram page, Brady posted a photo of himself with Belichick from their Patriots days with a heartwarming caption to the man who helped him grow into the most accomplished player in NFL history:
“I’m incredibly grateful to have played for the best coach in the history of the NFL.
He was a great leader for the organization, and for all of the players who played for him. We accomplished some amazing things over a long period of time, many of which will be hard to replicate. he worked every day to help us achieve the ultimate goal, in the ultimate team sport. And, although we were successful, some of the greatest lessons I learned were in the moments where we faced the most challenging adversities. He set the tone for the organization to never falter in the face of adversity, and to do what we could do, and what was in our control, which was to go out and DO OUR JOB.
I could never have been the player I was without you Coach Belichick. I am forever grateful. And I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose next.”
Together, Brady and Belichick formed the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Once Brady took over a the starting quarterback in 2001, the Patriots never suffered a losing season and reached nine Super Bowl games. They went on to win six Super Bowls, forming two separate dynasties in the 21st century.
Brady, of course, went on to win a Super Bowl 55 championship ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his first year outside of New England. Belichick struggled to build the Patriots into a winner in the post-Brady era, guiding the team to only one winning season (10-7 in 2021) without winning a single postseason game.
And so, for the first time in 25 years, the Patriots will move forward without either Belichick or Brady as part of the organization. Just another reminder that all good things must come to an end.
