Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and Tom Brady may be living proof of that phenomenon. After 20 years of being needled by Bill Belichick, Brady was, by all accounts, ready for a change of scenery, eager to leave behind the demands and rigors of a ruthless culture masterminded by one of the sport’s all-time ball-busters. But with the benefit of hindsight, Brady has let go of any lingering resentment toward his former team, admitting the Patriots—and Belichick, in particular—will always hold a special place in his heart.
“Believe me, all those years with [Belichick] in my ear, I can hear that as if he were right next to me,” Brady relayed to Jim Gray on his weekly podcast, Let’s Go. “We had 20 years together of elite football experience that I wouldn’t have traded for anything in the world. He’s a great competitor.”
Brady appeared visibly emotional Sunday, embracing offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich after leading a fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Rams, which snapped Tampa Bay’s three-game losing streak. Earlier in the game, Brady eclipsed 100,000 career passing yards, earning praise from Belichick, who called the milestone “amazing” and a “great accomplishment.” Those words apparently meant a lot to Brady, who, despite their philosophical differences at times, will always cherish the two decades they spent together in Foxboro.
“What an amazing coach he is and how he prepares the team to win. He’s done it year in and year out. He’s 22 wins away from an amazing milestone,” said Brady, alluding to Belichick’s own historical pursuit, closing in on Don Shula’s all-time wins record. “I have no doubt he’s going to get it. I watch that team every week and am impressed by how they prepare and the accountability the organization has. It always starts at the top.”
Brady’s departure from New England was admittedly messy with plenty of hard feelings to go around, though that tension seems to have dissipated, enough for the 45-year-old to acknowledge the incredible legacy he and Belichick helped build, a legendary partnership that will go down as one of the greatest in sports history.
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