The 2020 NFL offseason featured major league changes, including a new collective bargaining agreement that introduced a 17-game regular season, while the league also dealt with a global pandemic that forced the NFL Draft to be conducted remotely.
Against this backdrop, Tom Brady ended his 20-year run with the New England Patriots and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, closing a partnership that had produced nine AFC Championship appearances, six Super Bowl wins, and numerous individual accolades.
The separation between Brady and head coach Bill Belichick immediately sparked debate over which figure carried more responsibility for the Patriots’ historic success.
Belichick’s view on the team’s decline
Belichick later stated that Brady’s departure was the correct decision, explaining that the Patriots were already trending downward at that point. He described the 2020 roster as significantly weakened compared to previous championship years, noting that several key veterans had already left or were nearing the end of their tenure.
He also pointed to the aftermath of the 2019 season, which ended in a wild-card playoff exit, as evidence that the team had already reached its peak. According to Belichick, the circumstances made it unlikely that the team would perform at a high level in the following season.
He further expressed satisfaction that Brady found success elsewhere, suggesting that the situation in New England would not have produced positive results in 2020.
Patriots’ struggles and post-Brady transition
Following Brady’s exit, the Patriots brought in Cam Newton as their starting quarterback. While Newton contributed significantly as a runner with 12 rushing touchdowns, his passing production was limited, averaging 177.1 passing yards per game.
The team finished the 2020 season with a 7–9 record, marking a clear decline. They later rebounded in 2021 under rookie quarterback Mac Jones, finishing 10–7 and reaching the playoffs, but that season would stand as their last winning campaign of the Belichick era.
Subsequent seasons saw further regression, with records of 8–9 in 2022 and 4–13 in 2023, after which Belichick and the franchise parted ways by mutual agreement.
Brady’s success in Tampa Bay
In contrast, Brady immediately delivered strong results in Tampa Bay during his first season away from New England. At age 43 and in a season disrupted by COVID-19, he led the Buccaneers to an 11–5 record while passing for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns.
Tampa Bay went on a postseason run that included road victories over New Orleans and Green Bay before defeating Kansas City in Super Bowl LV, played in the Buccaneers’ home stadium. Brady was named Super Bowl MVP.
Over three seasons with Tampa Bay, he posted a 32–18 regular-season record, went 5–2 in the playoffs, and won a seventh Super Bowl before retiring.
Mutual respect between quarterback and coach
Belichick reflected on his long working relationship with Brady, noting that each learned from the other’s perspective—Brady offering insight into how quarterbacks view defenses, and Belichick contributing a coaching perspective on offensive and defensive challenges.
Despite widespread public speculation over their split, the comments suggest there is no lingering hostility between the two, with both figures ultimately recognized for their roles in one of the most successful partnerships in NFL history.