An argument that is as polarizing as the chicken or the egg debate: Tom Brady or Bill Belichick? Who takes the bigger slice of pie for the New England Patriots’ incredible run?
You are either right or wrong if you say it is the proclaimed mad genius or aptly titled G.O.A.T.
But there is no way around it. Each of them has an unmatched legacy and are among the top if not the best ever at what they have done.
But it comes down to this simple answer: Belichick gave Brady his shot.
In 2001, quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who had just signed one of the biggest contracts in the history of the NFL was healthy and ready to go after that debilitating hit from Mo Lewis.
Belichick in his sophomore season as Patriots head coach went with the hot hand. A controversial move that had papers and pundits scratching their heads with why Belichick went with the raw but talented Brady over Bledsoe.
A move that paid dividends and kicked off an unprecedented era of dominance that has lasted two decades.
Keep going down the line. Was it Brady’s decision to keep Rodney Harrison over Lawyer Milloy as defensive field general for the 2003 season that was one of the moves that led to them winning back to back Super Bowls?
Was it Brady’s decision to trade for a once-thought over the hill Randy Moss and unproven Wes Welker which led to the league’s first and only 16-0 season? No, no and no.
While it is fateful as well as the best thing for both parties that Brady and Belichick ended up together. It is Belichick that is the one that would be better off if having to play without the other.
The proof is in the pudding. In 2008, Brady went down in the first game of the season and out trotted out Matt Cassel. The USC product guided the Patriots from a thought to be lost season, to an 11-5 record with 21 touchdown passes to 11 interceptions.
When Brady was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett collectively guided the Patriots to a great 3-1 start.
Brady was not there, but Belichick was. In the meeting rooms and engaging with all the coaches to make sure that whoever was out there for the team was going to have the most success.
Now comes the argument of whether Brady is a system type quarterback. Is he a product of Belichick’s philosophy and regime?
The answer to a certain extent is yes. You can assume but you can never know if Brady would have some if not the same amount of success on a Belichickless team. It is impossible to say unless it happens.
If Brady chooses to take a free agency tour at the end of the season, what would the going-on 43-year-old quarterback need?
It is without question that Belichick needs less to move on with his career as a coach than Brady would as a quarterback elsewhere. The Patriots head coach would be doing all that he can to make sure that Jarrett Stidham was ready assuming he is the quarterback of the future. His system is already in place and everybody knows what they need to do. Their job.
Brady not only has to pick up and move from the team he has played for the last 20 years. He has to get on the same page as his new coach in regards to philosophy as well as his new environment.
The marriage between Belichick and Brady has been eerily similar to an actual marriage. Some days, it is going to be smooth sailing and you are going to love each other. There are some days where they simply cannot stand each other and wish they were someplace else.
But that is what has made this a formula that has worked for so long.
Take this musical comparison for instance. Did Freddie Mercury need Queen to be as successful and well-known as he is even after his death? Yes, he did, but that does not take away from what he gave the band in the form of his energy and voice.
Even though he was the star and everyone looked at Mercury as the frontman of Queen. It was always the four men on the album covers. It was always the team of Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon.
They were all a family. Take the creative liberty away from the Bohemian Rhapsody movie and you still have the same message. Mercury was special, but part of the reason was there was pushback from the band members that included rewrites or creative differences that lead to the finished product that are the songs everyone remembers.
Nobody remembers the solo albums the Queen members did because they did not have each other to argue and make the product in the vision they all compromised on.
It is the same thing here. Belichick may want to do something like go for it on fourth down in last year’s Super Bowl but Brady is pushing back in his ear that the right thing to do is kick the field goal to put the game out of reach.
They may argue, they may fight but in the end, they know that because they have each other, this is the best way to win.
They continue to push each other and make each other hungry even though there really is not anymore to achieve to solidify how great they are.
They keep each other motivated and grounded.
Belichick at least in the eyes of the public does not treat his six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback any different than the 53rd player on the roster.
He forces Brady to think that he needs to prove his worth even though he does not necessarily have to.
Brady is the frontman who could have success alone. But not nearly as much as without the man behind the band in Belichick.
Belichick has all the instruments to success and Brady providing lyrics to the magical music behind him. Think of it this way. It is really hard to be a great performer without that perfectly executed melody.
Yes, there is no better quarterback than Brady to ever play the game. There is also no better coach to lead a sideline. But what it all comes down to is who is pulling the most strings and that is Belichick in this situation.
Belichick with his system and leadership compared to Brady with his talent and hunger is more suited for success than just one player even if he is the best at his craft.
But that will not stop the argument from going on in groups of football friends in the foreseeable future.
5 Responses
Hmmm, who led Michigan back twice from two TD deficits in the Orange Bowl? Bill? This is a joke, name a successful season in which Bill had as a head coach before Brady?
There is evidence that Belichick can work without Brady in this implemented system he has. Take the 2008 Matt Cassel season as previously mentioned.
If Tom wasn’t key, Bledsoe would have a wonderful long career. Patriots had just signed Drew to a nice contract when Brady took over. If it was all Bill then why cut Drew?
There are times when Brady is the reason but the overall picture has to be Belichick. Even when Brady took over, the success that other quarterbacks had when Brady was absent can’t be overlooked. The great defenses that Belichick built over the years is not on Brady and the personnel decisions have shaped this team and that’s all on the guy pulling the strings.
I Love BB, but let’s not forget he has a pre Brady career, and it was bad. The Browns made the playoffs 40% of the time before BB, but only 20% while he was there. Drew Bledsoe was a multi time pro bowler for multiple different teams, but under BB’s lead, the Pats went 5-11 with Bledsoe,and were 0-2 the next year until Brady became the starter. No losing team loses a star QB and instantly starts winning and becomes a dynasty. That shouldn’t even be possible. BB WAS a great defensive coordinator, and he developed into a great coach. But he would’ve gotten fired again if the GOAT hadn’t saved his job. Matt Cassel isn’t a rebuttal, Castle proves my point. With THE best roster in Pats history, Cassel lost 5 more games, had drastically less offensive production, didn’t make the pro bowl or playoffs. Playing with a WEAKER team and no BB Cassel made the pro bowl and the playoffs in KC. Cassel was better without BB. Every other argument you can make is proven wrong by math: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/brady-vs-belichick-whos-to-blame-for-the-patriots-insufferable-success/