Patriots Rumors: How Bill Belichick Pushed For Tom Brady’s Exit

Throughout Bill Belichick’s Patriots tenure, the legendary head coach always looked to move on from a player early rather than late.

And no player was exempt from this treatment in New England. Not even the greatest in the history of the sport.

A recently published ESPN column highlighted the relationship and history of Belichick, Tom Brady and Robert Kraft, who enjoyed the highest of highs and endured some low lows over two decades together. Brady quarterbacked New England from Belichick’s second season in 2001 through the 2019 campaign, but the head coach reportedly looked into moving on from the iconic signal-caller sooner.

“In 2014, Belichick provided Kraft a study detailing how even the greatest quarterbacks drop off in their mid-30s,” Seth Wickersham and Wright Thompson wrote. “Belichick drafted Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round, setting him up to succeed Brady.”

That juncture seemingly marked the start of the fracturing between Brady and Belichick. Belichick reportedly limited Gillette Stadium access to Brady’s longtime trainer and business partner, Alex Guerrero, in 2017, the season after the Patriots won their second Super Bowl in three years. New England went on to win another title in the 2018 campaign, but Belichick and Kraft elected not to give Brady his desired contract a year later.

Brady responded by raising the Lombardi Trophy in his first season after leaving New England, which reportedly prompted Kraft to take aim at Belichick. The Patriots, meanwhile, never really found their footing after Brady left and now are ushering in a new era with Jerod Mayo at the helm.

There doesn’t appear to be any bad blood between Brady and Belichick these days, though. The former issued a lengthy heartfelt statement after the latter left New England on Thursday.