Rooting for Brady?

What are New England Patriots fans to do? Their team won’t be in the big game Sunday. Their dynasty of the past two decades, which included nine Super Bowl appearances and six victories — and complete dominance of the AFC East Division — may have seen its end. The Patriots ended the season with a pedestrian 7-9 record.

But their dynastic quarterback, the ageless Tom Brady, will be there, yet again, making a ridiculous, unprecedented 10th Super Bowl appearance. That means Brady will have appeared in half the Super Bowls played since he became a starting quarterback.

Among Brady’s targets will be another icon of the Patriots’ glory days, tight end Rob Gronkowski. The “Gronk” unretired to rejoin his old quarterback.

Despite all their success together, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick and Brady had enough of each other by the end of the 2019 season. The franchise had negotiated a contract with an escape clause. Brady chose to use it to escape from the prickly Belichick — and the sometimes-frigid

Brady was the clear winner in the great debate over who was most responsible for the Patriots’ sustained success.

Foxboro — for the fresh start of sunny Tampa Bay.

In season one of the post-split era, Brady was the clear winner in the great debate over who was most responsible for the Patriots’ sustained success — Belichick’s brilliant coaching or Brady’s brilliant play.

In leading the Buccaneers to the title game, Brady proved he could win without Belichick.

So, what will Patriots fans do? Most, we suspect, will be cheering for the 43-yearold Brady to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs. And why not, given the good times he delivered to New England.

Then next season they should be pulling for Belichick to quickly rebuild the team and prove he can win without Brady — and defeat him when Brady and the Buccaneers visit Gillette Stadium.

That’ll be fun.