"That pisses me off": Rodney Harrison sounds off over Tom Brady vs Bill Belichick debate

Former New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison questioned the media's fixation on the TomBrady-Bill Belichick debate. He defended the countless players who built New England's championship legacy.

On episode 3 of "Brady vs Belichick: The Verdict" on Vice TV on Tuesday, Harrison discussed what he sees as an overly simplified view of the Patriots' success story.

"Coach Belichick couldn't go out there by himself. Tom sure couldn't go out there by himself," Harrison said. "It was the team, and I think it's a disrespect to all the guys that busted their a**, that sacrificed, that did all the things that they were supposed to do, and you guys, the media, have the nerve to mention two guys? That pisses me off, and I love both those guys."

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The debate gained momentum after Brady departed for Tampa Bay in 2020, where he led the Buccaneers to a 32-18 record and a Super Bowl victory. Meanwhile, Belichick's Patriots struggled with a 29-38 record in four Brady-less seasons.

"We Worked Too Hard": Harrison defends Belichick and the team's legacy

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Rodney Harrison spotlighted the daily commitment required for sustained NFL success.

"We worked too hard, we sacrificed, time away from their families, getting up at 5 o'clock in the morning, spending 10-12 hours at the facility," Harrison said. "That's a lot of sacrifice, that ain't just two guys doing that s***. It's a lot of guys doing it."

Brady and Bill Belichick have recently acknowledged their shared success. On the Jan. 28 episode of the "Let's Go!" podcast, Belichick highlighted the roles of players in winning.

"Players win games," Belichick said. "You can't win games without good players."

He then listed key contributors including Willie McGinest, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi and Harrison.

Their combined achievements are nine Super Bowl appearances and six titles together in New England. Brady added a seventh ring in Tampa, while Belichick finished with 296 wins over 24 seasons with the Patriots.

Rich Eisen perhaps best captured the essence of Harrison's argument on his show on Jan. 12.

"The Patriots would not have had six championships without Tom Brady," Eisen said, via the 'Rich Eisen Show.' "The Patriots would not have six championships without Bill Belichick. They were absolutely perfect for each other."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame tried to settle this debate in 2018 when archivist Jon Kendle declared Brady and Belichick the greatest QB-coach combination in NFL history.