Tom Brady’s departure from the Patriots in 2020 was one of the biggest breakups in NFL history. After 20 years and six Super Bowls, that split raises the question of what really happened. Rumors were in the air, but Tom Brady was never really candid in the discussion of his decision. Fast forward to now, in his latest newsletter, he spoke about Bill Belichick and what led to his exit.
In the latest weekly newsletter, Brady admitted the “natural tensions” between him and Bill Belichick. “The reality was, after twenty years together, a natural tension had developed between where Coach Belichick and I were headed in our careers, and where the Patriots were moving as a franchise,” Brady wrote.
“For me, it was a creeping decision that lived passively in the back of my mind for 2-3 years,” he mentioned. But by March 2020, he was forced to face the reality: “A whirlwind of a few days made me realize that a decision was coming sooner rather than later.” He described the “natural tension” that built over time between him, Belichick, and the Patriots. His words, “After twenty years together, a natural tension had developed between where Coach Belichick and I were headed in our careers, and where the Patriots were moving as a franchise”.
That left the team with two options: either change their priorities or split. So Tom Brady packed up and went to Tampa Bay, where he proved himself in three seasons. He threw for 108 touchdowns and immediately won a Super Bowl. So, in the end, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers checked more boxes than the Patriots.
Brady explained exactly how he decided to leave the Patriots and why Tampa Bay was the right fit. “I asked myself, as someone headed into their forties with school-age kids and twenty years’ worth of battle scars, what truly mattered to me now?” Brady wrote. Brady mentioned, he ranked his options in free agency based on factors like roster strength, coaching quality, and even weather. “The presence of skill players was a 3 in terms of importance, for example, and the Bucs graded out as a 3 because of guys like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin,” he explained. Coaching was just as crucial. “That was a 3 in importance, and Tampa scored a 3 with Bruce Arians.” Even weather played a role, as he said, “Game day weather was a 2, practice weather was a 3.”
To talk about Tampa Bay’s climate offers favorable conditions for football. Like, the temperatures often range from the upper 50s to mid-80s during the season. Let’s say, for instance, during a game against the Carolina Panthers, temperatures were near 50°F pregame, falling to the lower 40s during the game. But New England’s weather can be more challenging. For example, a December game between the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills starts at 12°F, with a wind chill factor of 3°F, and will have the possibility of snow showers. So, keeping all this in mind, he prefers an environment that would be good for both playing and practicing effectively
To put it together, Brady said, “In the end, I chose Tampa, almost exactly five years ago now, because, in the aggregate, it graded out higher than New England along those twenty or so dimensions. It’s not much more complicated than that.” It’s a classic Brady save, and it worked out just fine. At present, Brady’s new job at FOX ain’t the best as some critics were after him. But Gronk isn’t letting the critics pile on Tom without him getting on it.
Rob Gronkowski defends Tom Brady’s Fox broadcasting debut
Gronk is Brady’s former teammate and friend. He is standing by all the rough patches Brady had in his first season as Fox’s lead NFL analyst. Well, Gronk believes Brady has improved since his early struggles and expects nothing less from the seven-time Super Bowl champ. “He has definitely improved… It’s such a tough job to do. There’s so much pressure on you,” he commented. He talked about Brady’s work ethic and dedication, saying, “He loves to practice good habits, he loves to get better, he’ll do anything it takes to get better.”
Brady moved to broadcasting with a massive 10-year, $375 million deal from Fox, so expectations were sky-high. But early on, he misidentified players, like calling Steelers RB Najee Harris “Najeh Davenport” and referring to Eagles kicker Jake Elliott as “David Akers.” He also mistakenly claimed Lamar Jackson caught a “touchdown pass”. He and even called Bills QB Josh Allen a “spaz,” sparking controversy with fans and analysts questioning whether Brady was the right fit for the job. Some even doubted whether he could ever reach Tony Romo’s level as a broadcaster.
But Brady’s understanding of the game has progressed with the season, and so has his performance. On the other side, his part-ownership of the Raiders is also a controversial topic. The NFL has placed restrictions on him, he can’t attend practices or pregame production meetings with teams outside of Las Vegas. The league does not allow Brady to criticize referees or teams in public. Some people think this might stop him from being fully honest as an analyst. ESPN’s Seth Wickersham reported that Brady helped the Raiders look for a new head coach. This also raises potential conflicts of interest.
Gronkowski, however, sees no issue with Brady wearing both hats. “He deserves to have ownership in the team. He deserves to be able to commentate on games at the same time,” Gronk told Mail Sport during Super Bowl week. Gronk understands the NFL’s restrictions but believes the criticism is overblown. “Anything else? There should be no problem with it,” he said. In Gronk’s eyes, Brady is handling both roles just fine, and as long as he keeps improving in the booth, the noise around him will eventually die down.
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