
Tom Brady went on the “Howard Stern Show” recently to talk about his split up with the Patriots. Brady says he knew the 2019 season would be his last before the season even started.
When asked about whether he thought he would have been worse off without coach Bill Belichick, Brady said, “I think it’s a pretty s—ty argument actually that people would say that, because again, I can’t do his job, and he can’t do mine.
“So the fact you could say, ‘Would I be successful without him, the same level of success?’ I don’t believe I would have been. But I feel the same vice versa, as well.”
Brady wanted it to be clear there never was any bad blood with Belichick or anybody else within the Patriots organization. Brady told Stern he had no resentment that Belichick never made him a Patriot for life.
“No, absolutely not,” Brady answered, somewhat emphatically. “No, because this is a part for me, in my life, to experience something very different. There are ways for me to grow and evolve in a different way that I haven’t had the opportunity to do — that aren’t right or wrong, but just right for me.”
Brady then went on to say he never did care about a legacy or anything like that. Brady claimed it was just “time” to move on.
“I think he has a lot of loyalty. He and I have had a lot of conversations that nobody has ever been privy to, nor should they be, that so many wrong assumptions were made about our relationship or about how he felt about me. I know genuinely how he feels about me,” Brady said.
“Now I’m not going to respond to every rumor or assumption that’s made, other than what his responsibility as coach is to get the best player for the team — not only in the short term but in the long term as well.
Brady shut down any rumors of any ill will towards Belichick at any point in their relationship. Brady said he made his decision final on March 16 when he went over to his neighbor Robert Kraft’s house to tell him the news that he would be leaving the organization.
Brady said a good amount of tears were shed during the conversation, as the two have been working together for 20 years.
No Hard Feelings
Former Buccaneers starting quarterback Jameis Winston has no ill will towards Brady or Tampa Bay and is perfectly ok with the fact he got replaced by Brady.
Winston went on Fox News on Wednesday and said, “One thing about Tom Brady, it’s understood that he’s the GOAT. And for you to get replaced by Tom Brady in a city you love so much, I guess that’s kudos to me.”
Winston remains a free agent and is still looking for a new city to call home.