Tom Brady ruling out reunion with Patriots a big slap in the face
Recently after New England Patriots and NFL all-time best Tom Brady announced his retirement, the press made it quite clear that Brady had never had any intention of a reunion with Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick at all.
While it was hoped that he would return, those hopes were just our imaginations, running away from us, as the Temptations would say. There was no chance for a reunion whatsoever evidently.
This is no surprise in this space. Brady was treated with disrespect by Belichick and owner Kraft allowed him to exit when he had full control over the situation but he demured. This was a bad call by Kraft, the worst of his ownership of the New England Patriots.
Let’s take a look at what Brady said recently.
New England Patriots and Tom Brady were never going to be reunited
While it would have been a splendid development, a recent comment by Brady made it perfectly clear that it was never in the cards. As reported by MSN, it was a non-starter.
Here’s what MSN noted, citing ESPN’s Jeff Darlington,
"As it turns out, when Tom Brady left New England, he did so for good. There were no strings attached.Brady and Bill Belichick reportedly had a falling out of sorts — though the details of that conversation were never revealed. The pair remain on good terms, as do Brady and Robert Kraft, but the idea of competing with one another again is off the table.Brady was reportedly asked by his confidants if he would consider a return to New England this offseason. The future Hall of Famer was quick to the draw.“No, that ain’t happening,” Brady said, per Darlington."
That’s pretty emphatic. The bad blood between at least Brady and Belichick if not with both Belichick and Kraft must run very deep, as well it should have.
Brady never received the adulation and appreciation from the head coach he deserved and that became crystal clear during the 2019 season. After winning Super Bowl for the sixth time for the New England Patriots after 2018, Brady was not a happy camper.
When he signed a phony two-year contract that did not contain a franchise clause, he made certain that the coast was clear for a quick exit. Brady was effectively gone after 2018 but few people (hand-raised here) wanted to take that seriously.
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It was serious and worse. No franchise clause was an absolute deal-breaker and all bets were off. Brady had a lousy attitude all during 2019. It was clear he didn’t want to be in Foxborough. The disappointing playoff one-and-done was maybe a sign of that fact.
New England Patriots Tom Brady checked out in 2019
Anyone who watched and listened to Brady that season had to be acutely aware that his entire persona had shifted from nice team guy to angry 42-year-old superstar. He was surly, had an “attitude”, carried on truncated press conferences, and was generally a pill.
On the field his play was blah and it was clear that he had little to no rapport with his receiving corps. It was totally dysfunctional and Brady couldn’t wait to say “see ‘ya” after the season. There’d be no return to Foxborough for the GOAT.
It’s really still a crying shame that this break-up occurred and the responsibility lies squarely with Kraft and Belichick. Kraft’s gaffe was bigger since he owns the team and could have stepped in. he didn’t. But Belichick’s ego also got in the way.
Belichick must have felt that his contribution to the dynasty was as great or maybe even greater than TB12’s. This thinking was an illusion. He wasn’t. And it has now been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Since Brady left the team has had only one lone playoff appearance in three years and that was a blowout at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Belichick is exposed as a coach who hung on the coattails of the best ever, and there is now no doubt whatsoever that was the case.
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The saddest part of all this again is that it never had to happen at all. A little kindness and consideration and maybe a fair contract for once (which he’d always deserved) probably would have gone a long way toward solving the situation.
Unfortunately, Kraft and Belichick didn’t. The schism was inevitable and as we have seen lately in Brady’s own words, complete. Even a one-day reunion for retirement with the New England Patriots may be off the table.
It’s a good case for the Harvard Business School on how not to sustain a successful business by jettisoning your greatest asset. Kraft, a businessman par excellence should have known better. He didn’t.