As Sunday night's matchup between the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers gets closer, stories about Tom Brady's departure from the only team he has ever played for have started to come to light.
Fans across the National Football League have wondered what could have led to Brady's departure from New England after nearly two decades and six Super Bowl wins. Was it the warmer weather? A feud with head coach Bill Belichick? Or just time for new scenery?
Why did Tom Brady actually leave New England?
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was a guest on "The Greg Hill Show," something he does every week during the NFL season. Of course, with the much anticipated game this week, Belichick was asked several questions surrounding his former quarterback Tom Brady.
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Belichick was first asked about how he had always said that Brady was the only quarterback he wanted to coach, but why did that change? Belichick said that didn't change.
He was then asked whether he wanted Brady to re-sign with the Patriots when his free agency came up after the 2019 NFL season. Here's what Belichick said about Brady leaving New England:
Question: "So, you wanted Tom to re-sign here after the 2019 season?
"Belichick: "I think we've been through all the dynamics of that. There were a lot of things there. He looked at his options and made a decision. We weren’t as good of an option as Tampa. So, I mean, you’d have to ask him about all that. But that really wasn’t a question about not wanting him -- that’s for sure.”
So, has the mystery finally been solved about Brady's decision? The New England Patriots organization, which includes Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft, did in fact want Brady to stay but apparently weren't going to turn him away from another opportunity.
Brady felt that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave him a better situation overall and that is what led him to the NFC in a different climate with a full slot of receivers, an offensive line and one of the best defenses in the entire National Football League.
Tom Brady seemed to make the best decision for himself and his NFL career as he went on to win his seventh Super Bowl championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his first season with the team.
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