BRADY-BILL LOVE
Tom Brady led the Patriots through their three-day minicamp last month without having much, if any, interaction with Bill Belichick while the two were together on the field.
During the past year, much has been made about their relationship — or lack of one — in the greatest quarterback-coach duo in NFL history. Even though Brady professed love for his head coach to Oprah Winfrey during their recent sit-down, there are issues causing friction.
There’s Belichick taking away the once-held privileges of Brady’s body coach and business partner Alex Guerrero. The absence of a contract extension is another bone of contention, along with how Brady wants to be treated by his head coach.
Are those issues being overblown? Maybe, but according to those with whom I’ve spoken, those problems definitely exist.
As for Belichick, he is reportedly irritated because he believes Brady tugged on Robert Kraft to make moves (Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh McDaniels) which ultimately forced Belichick’s hand. My sources confirm Brady had a hand in bringing McDaniels back at the 11th hour, after the latter was headed to Indianapolis to be the Colts coach.
But does it matter if the head coach and quarterback are still bickering when training camp starts Thursday? The short answer is no.
While it would make many in Patriot Nation feel better if the duo ironed out some of their differences — coming to some compromise on Guerrero, agreeing to terms on an extension, etc. — it really doesn’t have to happen for them to be successful this season.
That’s what they’ve been doing, and how it’s been in recent years. Whatever problems they’ve had certainly haven’t affected the team’s run of success. They were the Super Bowl runners-up with much of this inner turmoil going on last year.
Looking ahead, it’s hard imagining them not doing well this year, especially in a still-weak AFC East. And while the challenges in the conference should be greater, no team is that much better than they are.
Tony Romo last week compared Belichick and Brady to being in a marriage. The lead CBS analyst said they “squabble like a married couple,” but also love each