For the better part of two decades, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were the most feared and respected tandem in the NFL.
On one side, we had a bright defensive mind and arguably the greatest tactician in the history of the game.
On the other side, we had a player who beat the odds over and over, despite not being the fastest, strongest, most athletic, or most talented quarterback out there.
That’s why one could only assume that Brady got some sort of preferential treatment.
Nevertheless, that wasn’t the case.
If anything, Belichick was even harder on Brady than he was on anybody else, and while reports showed that Brady grew up to resent that, Belichick thought that was the only way to hold everybody accountable.
Finally, years after their divorce, the legendary coach explained why he never let Brady off the hook:
“If I didn’t point him out then everybody walks out there feeling like they got yelled at except for him… When I could make points to Tom, then Tom could say, ‘Hey fellas he got after me too.’”
Bill Belichick on why he purposely called Tom Brady out during film:
“If I didn’t point him out then everybody walks out there feeling like they got yelled at except for him… When I could make points to Tom, then Tom could say, ‘Hey fellas he got after me too.’”
(🎥 @thepivot) pic.twitter.com/DB00vwXGGm
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) May 17, 2025
That makes perfect sense, but perhaps Brady would’ve appreciated it if his coach had explained that to him.
Even so, at the end of the day, no one can argue that his ways worked.
Belichick was always a no-nonsense kind of guy, and with all the trophies he won, no one can take anything away from him.
If Tom Brady got an earful, who’s to say that you can’t get one?
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