Tom Brady & Bill Belichick Together Again? NFL Insider, Patriots Legend Fuel Reunion Rumor
FOXBORO — As Jon Bon Jovi and Jenninfer Nettles once sang: “Who says you can’t go home?”
Following his departure from the New England Patriots in March 2020, legendary quarterback Tom Brady had seemingly left the region in his rearview mirror, opting to continue his football journey with the warm sun and offensive prowess of his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
However, as Brady’s illustrious 23-year career enters its twilight, might a reunion with the Patriots be in the 45-year-old’s future?
One NFL insider believes the possibility exists … while a close friend and former teammate would “not be shocked” by it.
Per a Wednesday morning offering from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, the idea of Brady reconvening with ex-coach Bill Belichick in New England for 2023 should not be dismissed. When discussing potential landing spots for the soon-to-be free-agent, Howe mentioned the Pats as a destination worthy of attention.
“And finally — maybe hold onto your phone with two hands for this one — don’t ever write off the Patriots.” Howe wrote.
“Brady and Bill Belichick still have an abundance of respect for one another. They’ve made points to say it publicly on multiple occasions since the QB departed for Tampa. They also spent 23 minutes together in the visiting locker room at Gillette Stadium following Brady’s return in 2021 — an appointment they set up prior to the game.”
While it should be noted that Howe’s insight on the matter was more speculative in nature, his close ties to the Patriots make the prospective merger an intriguing item to watch on the radar of football fans worldwide.
Moments later, the concept gained even more traction through the NFL rumor mill when Patriots Hall of Famer and ex-Brady teammate Matt Light provided his intriguing opinion on the subject as a guest on “The Greg Hill Show” on WEEI 93.7 (Boston) on Wednesday morning.
“I wouldn’t put anything past him,” Light said of Brady. “The guy wants to win, and he knows how to do it with a guy like Belichick. I think he’s seeing the differences now. I mean, he only played for Bill, and then he goes down to Tampa and he’s had a couple head coaches down there now. He could conceivably come back and want to be with a proven winner.
“That would not shock me at all.”
Light spent 11 seasons with the Patriots protecting Brady’s blind side, as one of the top left tackles in team history. The two remain close friends to this day.
With the holiday season in full swing, visions of reuniting with the franchise's favorite son will continue to ‘dance like sugar plums’ in the heads of Patriots fans. After all, Brady’s tenure in New England yielded a two-plus decade run of success unlikely to be seen again in professional sports.
Belichick, in his first draft with the Patriots, selected Brady as the 199th overall selection in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. In only Brady’s second season, Belichick named the Michigan product New England’s starting quarterback; standing by him even when incumbent Drew Bledsoe had returned from injury. Little did anyone know that a twenty-year run of unprecedented success was about to unfold.
The prolific player-coach tandem was among the most successful of its kind in its era. Together, they participated in 285 regular-season games, 41 postseason contests and a record-setting nine Super Bowl appearances. Their 219 combined victories is the most by any head coach/quarterback duo in the history of the NFL.
Despite the compelling argument in favor of the notion, there are also several reasons to discount Brady’s return to Foxboro.
For starters, the Patriots already have one … 2021 first-round draft choice, Mac Jones. While the Pats have obviously fallen short of Brady-era success, the second-year Alabama product has proven to be an apt steward of the Pats offense. The 24-year-old has had his difficulties this season, but it is hard to imagine that the Patriots would be eager to move on from him just yet; especially considering Brady’s age and contract situation. It is equally as challenging to view Jones as amenable to accepting a back-up role, even for the organization’s most-revered legend.
At present, Jones is singularly focused on leading his team against a formidable Buffalo Bills team on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
Second, Brady would have to be convinced that New England was committed to contending for a Super Bowl in the upcoming season. Expected to field more than $100 million in available cap space, the future Hall-of-Farmer would undoubtedly prefer the team to invest some of that in reinforcements along the offensive line, as well as a top-flight wideout. It is also assumed that Brady would welcome the services of an established offensive coordinator, in light of the team’s struggles with offensive coaches Matt Patricia and Joe Judge sharing the role.
Lastly, Brady may be nearing the day when he finally makes good on his retirement claims. As he takes a step closer to 50 years of age, in conjunction with what has been a difficult campaign both on and off the field, it would not be surprising for him to ultimately hang up his cleats.
In the final analysis, a Brady-Patriots reunion is unlikely, in the most generous of senses.
However, should Brady decide to continue his playing career, and the Pats troubles keep them from making the playoffs, the postseason rumor mill will once again be churning with what until recently, was considered an impossible dream.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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