Patriots head coach Bill Belichick Praises Tom Brady as “Best Player in NFL History.”
New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick has often gone on record to say “there’s no quarterback I’d rather have than Tom Brady.”
As the old saying goes, ‘these two go back a while.’
Belichick, in his first draft with the team, 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 professional sports. 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.
Two decades after it all began, Bill Belichick apparently feels the same way about Tom Brady.
In a statement released Wednesday by the New England Patriots, one day after Brady announced his retirement from the NFL, Belichick lauded his longtime quarterback with the highest of compliments, referring to the 44-year-old as the “best player in NFL history.”
“I am privileged to have drafted and coached Tom Brady, the ultimate competitor and winner,” Belichick wrote. “Tom’s humble beginning in professional football ultimately ended with him becoming the best player in NFL history. Tom consistently performed at the highest level against competition that always made him the number one player to stop. His pursuit of excellence was inspirational. Tom was professional on and off the field, and carried himself with class, integrity, and kindness.
“I thank Tom for his relentless pursuit of excellence and positive impact on me and the New England Patriots for 20 years.”
Shortly after the Patriots issued Belichick’s statement, Brady responded via his Instagram account, calling Belichick “the greatest coach in NFL history.”
In those 20 years, Belichick, Brady and the Patriots collectively won 17 AFC East Titles, nine conference championships and six Super Bowl titles. The pair were the key elements in one of the longest-running, and most successful dynasties in the history of American professional sports.
Team owner Robert Kraft also released a glowing statement on Tuesday, celebrating Brady’s success in New England.
“Words cannot describe the feelings I have for Tom Brady, nor adequately express the gratitude my family, the New England Patriots and our fans have for Tom for all he did during his career,” Kraft wrote. “A generation of football fans have grown up knowing only an NFL in which Tom Brady dominated. …
“I have the greatest respect for Tom personally and always will. His humility, coupled with his drive and ambition, truly made him special. I will always feel a close bond to him and will always consider him an extension of my immediate family.”
As he did with Belichick’s message, Brady responded with a message for Patriots Nation:
