Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have cemented their legacy together. They are the greatest quarterback-coach tandem in the history of the NFL. But Brady made a decision on Tuesday that grants them freedom to create breadth and depth to their legacies. To this point, Brady shares Belchick’s Super Bowls and Belichick shares Brady’s.
So who is to credit for the hardware? Brady or Belichick?
It’s a fruitless debate, one which has long helped radio shows and sports-debate TV fill airwaves. There’s no way to know the answer the question on which man deserves more credit for the New England Patriots’ six Super Bowl wins, nine AFC championships, their regular-season records and their postseason records (of which the Patriots have many). It’s fair, however, to say that both men are to thank for New England’s success. It’s also likely that each couldn’t have won all six without the other.
But now they get a chance to see what they can do on their own. Brady will decide where he’s playing in 2020, whether for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Los Angeles Chargers — or a dark-horse candidate. He and Belichick will proceed without one another for their first time in their careers. It will be, without question, the most interesting breakup since Brad and Angelina (or Brad and Jennifer?). OK, fine, the Brady-Belichick is far more interesting than that. We’re talking about two G.O.A.T.s. We’re talking about two unstoppable football forces who lorded over the NFL for 20 years. Considering their tremendous talent, it’s actually a wonder they lasted this long as a successful couple.
So what comes next? Brady, who will turn 43 this summer, will attempt to work with a new coach in a new offense with a new group of skill players. And it will be drastically different, even if his landing spot changes the offense to fit Brady. No one’s process — on a hourly level — is quite like what Belichick does in New England, where every new free-agent arrival immediately notices the team’s focus on the little details. Belichick’s methods are so intense that Patriots players find they can read his mind. Brady has long struggled to adapt to veteran receivers while bringing the younger guys up to speed on his punctilious demands surrounding route running. Now, Brady will have to teach coaches, veterans and rookies. He has a lot of work ahead of him.
Belichick does, too. His quarterback depth chart consists of Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kesseler. Stidham is a 2019 fourth-round pick who needed an overhaul after devolving into bad tendencies in his final year at Auburn. His only appearance in an NFL regular-season game ended with a pick-six. Kessler, meanwhile, has performed reasonably well (64.2 percent completion rate, 2,215 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions) for listing franchises (Cleveland, Jacksonville) but has just a 2-10 record. This will be the greatest challenge of Belichick’s career, especially with the AFC West and the NFC West on the Patriots’ schedule for 2020. Suffice it to say that Belichick will again be in the mix for Coach of the Year if he pulls this off. The void in the Patriots’ locker room will be huge.
Belichick and Brady have each achieved enough to establish himself as the best man to ever serve in his respective position. While it’s sad to see a separation, this breakup gives them an opportunity for more. They can prove they didn’t need each other. They can win without the other. It would be a fascinating turn of events if one of them managed to win a Super Bowl on their divergent paths.
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