A good read about how the “Patriot Way” can wear on even the GOAT

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This situation reminds me of Shaq and Kobe in the NBA. Two greats that had HUGE egos and wanted to see if they could win apart, with a different coach. These two bickered and fought and were at each others throat often. But when Kobe recently died…who did it hit the hardest (outside immediate family)…Oneil.

Bill is the greatest coach in any sport to me. Is Brady the GOAT at QB? Maybe. A strong maybe? I don’t know.

But I believe these guys remain unsettled in some ways as they are trying to define their legacies themselves. Who is Tom Brady as an athlete? We have seen Bill coach without Brady in Cleveland and the times when Brady was injured. The Pats went 10-5 in 2008 without Brady.

These guys have earned the right to separate without any specific reason or angle. I don’t think this situation says anything other than these guys were the best together for what seems like forever. I don’t think this says anything about Bill B. or Tom Brady. They won together for many, many years. Winning that long is very, very, very hard to do. It takes a toll.

In five years when this chapter has closed these fences will be mended. Bill will no longer be coaching and Tom will be retired with a long life ahead of him. And they will reflect on their years together. We will all marvel at what we witnessed. An almost impossible accomplishment in a era build for competition and parity the Pats beat everyone, every season it seemed, without excuses. They can play high scoring football, low scoring football, they can run, pass and play great team defense. They re-defined themselves time and again and they won. Together.

I am fascinated on Brady in Tampa and Bill in NE with a different QB. What a drama! I love it.

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Yea…it wore him out.

After 20 years and 6 Super Bowl rings

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Belichick was fortunate that Brady came along. He took less money than what he was worth, typically made due with bottom of the barrel WRs, and was able to deal with Belichick’s mental and mind games.
Belichick was 36-44 with Cleveland. 1 playoff appearance in 5 years
18-19 without Brady in NE. 0 playoff appearances in 2 years.

Had Brady not came along in Belichick’s second season (they were 5-11 in his first year and they started off 0-2 with Bledsoe in his 2nd year), Belichick may have been fired at the end of the season.
Belichick obviously knows what he is doing, but without the Bledsoe injury, who knows what would have happened?
Had Belichick not turned the ship around in his 2nd year, would it have looked a lot like Patricia’s tenure?
It’s impossible to know.

I don’t think it will really be fair to judge either one of them based on what happens in the next few years, even though I believe the Pats are going to finish in 3rd place next year and the Bucs are going to win the NFC South. They accomplished more than any NFL coach or QB ever.

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