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Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady's father revealed the one "horrible" trait that led to his son's split from Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.
Tom Brady Sr. referred to Belichick as "the best coach in football," but acknowledged that his "interpersonal skills are horrible" while speaking to the Boston Globe's Christopher L. Gasper for an article published earlier this week.
“Bill is tough,” Tom Brady Sr. said “He runs a military system. It’s a different generation. Bill is a great, great, great coach. But his interpersonal skills are horrible. That’s the bottom line.
“How many times has he said — back in ‘15 or ‘16 — that he wanted to win without Tommy? When he went without Tommy, he didn’t know what he was losing. You’re losing more than just a quarterback.
“Ego sometimes gets in the way of things. I think it did with Bill. Now, he’s in a situation where he’s gotten crucified for the last few years by everybody and a lot of luster has come off his rose.”
The Patriots won six Super Bowls and won the AFC East during all but two seasons during Brady and Belichick's shared 20-year tenure, which included the 2008 season in which he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1, before the quarterback opted for free agency and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. Brady went on to win one more Super Bowl during his first season with the Bucs while the Patriots have since gone 28-36 with only one playoff berth -- resulting in a blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills -- since his departure.
The Patriots announced their decision to move on from Belichick last month following a 4-13 finish in 2023.
"I’m incredibly grateful to have played for the best coach in the history of the NFL," Brady wrote in an Instagram post following the team's decision. "He was a great leader for the organization, and for all of the players who played for him. We accomplished some amazing things over a long period of time, many of which will be hard to replicate. he worked every day to help us achieve the ultimate goal, in the ultimate team sport. And, although we were successful, some of the greatest lessons, I learned, were in the moments where we faced the most challenging adversities. He set the tone for the organization, to never Falter in the face of adversity, and to do what we could do, and what was in our control, which was to go out and DO OUR JOB.
"I could never have been the player I was without you Coach Belichick. I am forever grateful. And I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose next."
Belichick ranks first third in NFL history with 301 wins, having won 36 games during his first head coaching tenure with the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95. Belichick is one of seven NFL head coaches to have spent more than 20 years with one franchise following George Halas (40) of the Chicago Bears, Curly Lambeau (29) of the Green Bay Packers, Tom Landry (29) of the Dallas Cowboys, Don Shula (26) of the Miami Dolphins, Steven Owen (24) of the New York Giants and Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers, all of whom have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.