Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will always be close to each other.
They are forever fixed in the annals of NFL history, the game’s greatest quarterback and coach, who for 19 seasons tormented their opponents.
So it’s no surprise that Brady, just hours after Belichick and the Patriots announced they were parting ways after 24 seasons, had plenty of praise for his former coach.
Brady took to Instagram to offer words of support to Belichick, 71, the hooded prowler who has stalked Foxborough since 2000.
“I am incredibly grateful to have played for the greatest coach in NFL history,” Brady wrote. “He was a great leader for the organization and for all the players who played for him. We accomplished some amazing things over a long period of time, many of which will be difficult to replicate.”
Tom Brady’s IG message: pic.twitter.com/ncn31epoGP
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2024
Brady and Belichick won countless honors during their partnership: Brady took home three MVP awards and two Offensive Player of the Year awards, while Belichick was named NFL Coach of the Year three times. They won six Super Bowl titles together, plus three more separately (Brady won another with the Buccaneers, while Belichick won two as an assistant with the Giants).
In some ways, it seems like Belichick’s reputation has been overshadowed by Brady’s greatness. That’s despite the devilishly smart coach routinely creating some of the toughest defenses the league has ever seen to complement Brady’s passing magic.
Take the 2019 Super Bowl, for example. The Pats faced a spirited Rams offense that averaged nearly 33 points per game. With Brady struggling (the New England quarterback completed just 21 of 35 passes for 262 yards, failing to record a touchdown while throwing an interception), the Patriots still found a way to win.
New England allowed just one field goal in the 13-3 victory. And when the dust settled, Brady had secured another ring, even after limping through much of the previous four quarters.
That’s exactly who Belichick is. And while some may doubt his greatness, Brady does not.
“I could never have been the player I was without you, Coach Belichick,” Brady wrote. “I will be eternally grateful. And I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose next.”