There has never been a greater pairing in NFL history than Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. It’s surreal that in less than four years time, one is off enjoying his retirement, while the other is beginning his search for a new team.
On Thursday, the Patriots announced they had mutually agreed to part ways with Belichick after 24 seasons. That prompted a multitude of feel-good messages from former and current players across multiple sports to pay their respects to the greatest coach of all time.
Brady did the same in a heartfelt post on Instagram, where he referred to Belichick as the “best coach in the history of the NFL.”
Brady wrote:
I’m incredibly grateful to have played for the best coach in the history of the NFL.
He was a great leader for the organization, and for all of the players who played for him. We accomplished some amazing things over a long period of time, many of which will be hard to replicate. he worked every day to help us achieve the ultimate goal, in the ultimate team sport. And, although we were successful, some of the greatest lessons I learned were in the moments where we faced the most challenging adversities. He set the tone for the organization to never falter in the face of adversity, and to do what we could do, and what was in our control, which was to go out and DO OUR JOB.
I could never have been the player I was without you Coach Belichick. I am forever grateful. And I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose next.
Some have attempted to pit the two against one another by arguing which individual, player or coach, deserves most of the credit for all of the success over the years. The truth is there’s never been one person worthy of the credit.
The Patriots dynasty spans years of contributions from hundreds of talented players and coaches that all made it possible. And at the top, it was the coach and quarterback, two GOATs in their respective crafts, who tied it all together in a near two-decade dynasty.
