The NFL alum played for New England Patriots head coach Belichick for 20 seasons, winning six Super Bowls together
Tom Brady Jokes That Bill Belichick Was a ‘Cranky Old Coach’ Who Told Him ‘How Sh—-’ He Was Every Day in Commencement Speech
Tom Brady; Bill Belichick.
Tom Brady made a few jokes about Bill Belichick, his former New England Patriots coach, during his commencement speech for Georgetown University's business school graduation
The former NFL star played for Belichick for 20 seasons, during which they won six Super Bowls together
Brady also shared lessons from his NFL career, including the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI comeback against the Falcons, and encouraged graduates to persevere through setbacks
Tom Brady wasn’t afraid to rib former coach Bill Belichick in a speech.
The retired NFL star, 48, playfully threw a few jabs at the University of North Carolina (UNC) head coach, 74, during his commencement speech for Georgetown University's (GU) business school graduation on May 16.
He kicked off his speech with a shot at Belichick. After being introduced by the GU leaders, he quipped, "I usually don’t do well with compliments. I had a coach for 20 years tell me how sh---y I was every day.”
Brady, who played 20 seasons as quarterback with Belichick as his coach and won six Super Bowls together, also bookended his speech with a remark about Belichick often altering his sweatshirts.
“I want you to challenge yourself with ideas that are uncomfortable and people that push you to be your very best,” Brady told the graduates. “Even if one of those people is a cranky old coach who cuts the sleeves off his sweatshirt and screams at you all day, ‘Do your job.’ Okay that’s too specific.”
Belichick wasn’t the only one who had a teasing comment thrown his way.
Eli Manning, 45, also earned a mention from Brady in his commencement speech while discussing his wins and losses while in the NFL.
“Twenty-three, that was the number of pro seasons I played. Seven, those were my Super Bowl wins [the seventh being with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers]. Three, those were the Super Bowl losses. Damn it, Eli Manning," Brady joked as the audience laughed. “I heard that back there.”
However, the former Patriots quarterback directed a majority of his speech toward inspiring the students to not give up as they take their first steps into the workforce.
One of the situations he noted was the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI comeback against the Atlanta Falcons. He said that the Falcons had a 99.7% chance of winning the Super Bowl when they led 28-3 late in the third quarter, but ultimately his team won 34–28 in overtime.
"I said to myself, ‘Don’t be a little b---h. Go out there and fight your a-- off,” Brady recalled thinking. “Whether you win or lose, fight to the end.’ At that moment, we had no idea what the outcome of the game would be, but the one thing I’ve learned through sports is the only time you’re sure to lose is when you quit."
Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady
Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady
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"The odds are your 28-3 moment won’t end in a trophy or a parade. It may not even end in victory. It almost didn’t for us. But that’s not really the point," he continued. "These are all just momentary tests where failure isn’t final, only quitting is … The only thing worse than losing the biggest game of your life is losing respect for yourself along the way."
Brady played 23 seasons in the NFL from 2000 to 2023, earned seven Super Bowl rings with the Patriots and the Buccaneers, establishing himself as one of the greatest players in NFL history.