Bill Belichick's Statement On Tom Brady Retiring Has Everyone Saying The Same Thing
Football fans have a bone to pick with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick after he issued a statement regarding Tom Brady's retirement. On Tuesday, February 1, the seven-time Super Bowl champion took to Instagram to announce he's walking away from the NFL after 22 seasons. "I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention," he wrote.
Brady went on to express his gratitude to his friends and family, as well as to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team he called home right before retiring. "To my Bucs teammates the past two years, I love you guys, and I have loved going to battle with you," he said. "I couldn't be happier with what we accomplished together." Curiously enough, he didn't mention the New England Patriots, the team he spent 20 years with, in his lengthy statement, leading fans to believe that his exit from the team didn't go as well as everyone thought.
But it all changed when Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft paid tribute to the quarterback, which Brady acknowledged. Coach Belichick also offered a statement, but what he said didn't sit quite as well with fans.
Fans think Bill Belichick took credit for Tom Brady's success
It seems there's no bad blood between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, as the latter issued a touching statement honoring the legendary quarterback's legacy. "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 ... I thank Tom for his relentless pursuit of excellence and positive impact on me and the New England Patriots for 20 years."
While Belichick sang Brady's praises, fans didn't like the fact that he seemingly took credit for the athlete's success. "Just so everyone knows. I drafted him. Me. Congrats or whatever," one fan said. "I am privileged to have drafted (don't forget I drafted him!) and coached," mocked another. There are also fans who expressed disgust, saying, "...this is a triggering self serving comment. It starts with verbs of control, compliments serving the leader, and ends with 'me.'" However, others were quick to note that allowing Brady to leave the Patriots was Belichick's biggest mistake. As one fan joked. "'I needed him a lot more than he needed me. Do I really have a losing record without him?'"
But Brady didn't take offense, and even returned Belichick's compliment. "Thank you Coach Belichick," he wrote on his Instagram Story. "I appreciate being coached by you the Greatest Coach in NFL history."