3. Brady and Belichick didn’t want to be together
Every indication points toward both parties being ready to break up with the other. Brady was open to returning to New England, but he had a few requests, according to Sports Illustrated. And Belichick was open to re-signing Brady, but he had a few stipulations. Ultimately, Brady’s requests and Belichick’s stipulations didn’t align, which led to a breakup.
It’s likely we’ll learn more about this divorce in the coming days, weeks and months. But keep in mind that Belichick has a long history of ruthlessly moving on from even his best players. And perhaps, in this case, Brady is no different. That’s why I found it hard to believe owner Robert Kraft’s claims that Brady didn’t want to be back.