So checking out youtube and I see that they're back on the Belichick verses Brady debate because of some book that was released, talking about details from two years ago.
Look, Shannon Sharpe is right. We have seen players sent packing going back to Drew Bledsoe and Lawyer Milloy. Belichick isn't the first coach to do it and he won't be the last
The 49ers got rid of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. The Buffalo Bills got rid of Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith. The Dallas Cowboys got rid of Emmitt Smith. Pittsburgh allowed Rod Woodson to play elsewhere. Miami almost traded Marino to Minnesota, the same place where Brett Farve retired.
Why were so many great players forced to finish their careers elsewhere? One word, business! There comes a time when players have reached an age and its best to let them go. Doesn't matter the sport, just ask Jose Bautista.
Between 2018 and 2019, the Passing game had two of it's worst years with Brady. In 2019 the blocking was horrible but it wasn't in 2018. The run game also wasn't as effective but again, it was good in 2018. So what else was going on.
The pass catchers couldn't get separation, I'll give that to Brady. However, I'll give to Belichick the fact Brady didn't want to work with or mentor younger pass catchers. I'll also give to Belichick the fact that Brady's accuracy was slipping and that he was ignoring open pass catchers because he didn't want to work with them.
Tom Brady admitted that. No one, and no one else could've gotten away with that mentality in the NFL. Not Brett Farve, not Russell Wilson, not Joe Montana, not Dan Marino, and not even Roger Staubach. Brady had been getting away with it and in 2019, it finally costed the team.
I've said for about five seasons now that the Patriots had nothing to worry about until they failed to make the AFC Championship game. Under Brady, a first round bye was almost a guarantee. When they failed to achieve that, I still wasn't worried. When Brady ended the season with a pick six, I got worried.
Look Belichick was right to be firm with an aging 42 something year old quarterback. Notice Brady didn't go to a team where he had to make them better, he went to a team stacked with weapons. Why because he doesn't have to work as hard. He doesn't have to play elite to put up elite stats.
The Patriots have a motto, "Do Your Job", by selecting a team with that much firepower, Tom Brady proved that by the end of 2019, he was no more than "Johnny freaking Foxborough".
How bad would the passing game of been in 2019, if the defense wasn't getting so many turnovers? Two things are true in football, being down a lot or getting the ball because of your defense, leads to inflated passing stats. Brady was worse in 2019 than his stats show. It's time people acknowledge it.
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