Bill Belichick is, without question, one of the greatest — if not the greatest — coaches in NFL history. However, he laid his own bed and is the sole person responsbile for the conundrum he’s in right now.
For years, Belichick made all the decisions, both minor and major, for the New England Patriots. It worked out perfectly, withTom Brady cementing himself as the greatest quarterback of all time and leading them to six Super Bowl rings.
Brady’s departure, however, stained Belichick’s otherwise perfect legacy. Not only was he responsible for his exit, but he also failed to find any sort of success without his stellar pupil, making some people question whether he was always a byproduct of his quarterback.
Recently, Tom Brady Sr. shed some light on what transpired between him and his son, and while he admits that Belichick is an elite coach, he also thinks he’s not good with people and has a bit of an ego.
Tom Brady’s Father Rips Bill Belichick’s Interpersonal Skills
“Bill is tough,” Brady Sr. said. “He runs a military system. It’s a different generation. Bill is a great, great, great coach. But his interpersonal skills are horrible. That’s the bottom line. How many times has he said — back in ’15 or ’16 — that he wanted to win without Tommy? When he went without Tommy, he didn’t know what he was losing. You’re losing more than just a quarterback. Ego sometimes gets in the way of things. I think it did with Bill. Now, he’s in a situation where he’s gotten crucified for the last few years by everybody and a lot of luster has come off his rose.”
Belichick infamously wanted to trade Brady multiple times. Brady resented him and felt disrespected, and he went on to win another Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Patriots, on the other hand, became a bottom-feeding team and haven’t even won a playoff game since he left. Now, no one seems to be even slightly interested in giving Belichick the keys to their team.
Kraft Apologized For His Mistake
Belichick was the one who convinced Robert Kraft that Brady was done, which was a breaking point in their relationship that eventually led to his dismissal. At least the team owner reached out to the Bradys with a mea culpa:
“He just said, ‘I made a mistake.’ He told us that back in September,” said Brady Sr. “We don’t all make the right decisions, but he’s made a hell of a lot of good ones over the years. But I know that it galls him that Tommy went elsewhere and won. Not that he won, but that he won after Bill said he was done.”
At the end of the day, no one can take anything away from Bill Belichick and all the things he accomplished in this league. But given his reputation of mistreatment of players and his determination to call all the shots, it’s not much of a surprise to see so many doors closing right before his eyes.
SURVEY Will Belichick get another chance to coach?
Will Belichick get another chance to coach?
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