6 Rings Prospect Preview: Offensive tackles
The final two episodes of The Dynasty: New England Patriots dropped on Apple TV+ on Friday morning, concluding the 10-episode docuseries recapping the greatest run in sports history that took place in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Here are some rapid reactions, nuggets, and takeaways from Episode 10: End Game:
– Tom Brady, Gisele met with Robert Kraft in the 2018 offseason to “air out what was going on.”
Robert Kraft reveals in the final episode of the docuseries that he had both Brady and his ex-wife Giesle over to his house in the 2018 offseason to air out what was happening between the quarterback and Belichick.
“Yeah, there are things that I’d like to keep to myself,” Brady said when asked about the meeting. “Look there’s no perfect relationship, you know? And there’s things that are said– that are done that can’t be said or undone.”
Kraft gave some more insight:
“Tommy and Giesle came to my house and they were really upset,” he explained. “I had Giesle say, “That effin Belichick. He doesn’t treat my Tommy like a man.’ She thought Bill was disrespectful to Tommy and that it was time to move on. I realized how bad the situation was and I said, ‘Look Tommy, if you wanna go, I’ll work it out so you can go.’”
– Brady asked for, and was granted, concessions in order to stay with the Patriots.
Brady didn’t want to go just yet, but he did want some things to go his way.
“Tommy… said it was his intention to stay,” said Kraft. “But we would have to make concessions, including getting Alex Guerrero back in the fold.”
“Bill was pissed,” he continued. “Allowing Alex Guerrero back, it was the one time through 20 years I really have stepped in and got involved.”
Belichick also gave some insight into Kraft’s decision:
“For a head coach, all the relationships are very important. It starts at the top with ownership. They can derail some positive and constructive progress if those things don’t work out well.”
– Brady and Belichick hardly talked over the quarterback’s final two seasons in Foxborough.
“That season (meaning 2018), Tom and Bill weren’t best of buds,” captain Matthew Slater said. “During our captains meeting we would kind of go around and we’d talk about the gameplan and every time Coach goes to Tom, you know there’s awkward silence and tension there that you could feel and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Dang let me slide back I don’t wanna get in the crossfire.’”
He continued: “I remember times like, if Tom wanted something done he would tell me to go tell Bill. And I’m looking at Tom like, ‘Tom, like I’m not telling Bill you tell Bill.’”
“Basically it was a silent relationship. Before, there had been tension. But now it was just totally dysfunctional.”
– Through all of the dysfunction, the Patriots win Super Bowl LIII in part to Belichick’s complete 180° on defense.
While Bill Belichick has seemingly been wearing a lot of the blame for the Patriots’ demise over the last four years, his A+ game plan ahead of Super Bowl LIII may be the reason why he outlasted Brady in Foxborough.
“Going into the game they said, ‘Rams offense too good. Sean McVay’s unstoppable,’” said former safety Devin McCourty. “But what they didn’t realize – Bill was always finding the edge that most people wouldn’t think about.”
“Leading into the game,” he continued. “He watched film and was able to figure out that the Rams had a hard time playing against zone defense. For 18 regular season games you couldn’t find us playing that style of defense. But Bill was like, Alright, let’s switch to zone.’”
They allowed just three points to the high-flying Rams offense, winning 13-3.
“I thought after winning that Super Bowl,” Robert Kraft explained. “‘What an amazing job our defensive staff did under the leadership of Bill.’ So if I ever thought Bill was losing it as a head coach and couldn't perform, he had reestablished himself. At that point, Tommy understood that Bill would be the head coach for a number of years moving forward.”
– Tom Brady knew before the 2019 season that he wasn’t going to sign another contract with the Patriots.
Given the tension and turmoil within the Patriots organization, Tom Brady seemingly knew that he was done in New England well before officially made his decision:
“Me and Coach Belichick, you know we did what we loved and we competed for 20 years together. But I wasn’t gonna re-sign another contract even if I wanted to play til 50. I knew that, based on how things had gone, that I wasn’t gonna sign up for more of it.”
– Kraft, Brady, Belichick detail the quarterback's decision to move on and sign with the Buccaneers.
“Tommy called to say he’d like to come over,” said Kraft. “And when he walked into the room, he said, ‘I’ve decided to move on,’ and as soon as he said it he started crying. And his crying told me everything I needed to know.”
“[Kraft] said, ‘I think we should call Bill,’ and then when Bill answered, it was emotional,” Brady explained as he got choked up. “Because again it was a chapter coming to an end.”
“I would say that was kind of what I expected,” said Belichick “But, you know, there’s always kind of the– you know saying goodbye’s always hard. I loved coaching Tom, loved having him on our football team, but at that point in time I think he made the right and the best decision.”
– In the end, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick summarize the Patriots’ dynasty perfectly.
Brady: “In the end you look back and seeing the whole journey, you know, it’s perfect. It doesn’t need to be anything more than that. My teammates, Robert, Jonathan, everyone I know so closely, Bill, his family, I have unbreakable bonds with those people. I’ve been through it all with them.
Belichick: “I have great love, respect, and appreciation for all of the people that have given so much to help the team. I tried to help it in my way, but we all play a part in it and we all need each other.”
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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