By Mason Souza
Bill Belichick hated Tom Brady so much and wanted him out.
Maybe hate the man himself is too strong, but Belichick hated the praise Brady was getting rather than it coming his way.
How does this topic relate to today? Let me explain.
Mr. Patriot himself Julian Edelman spoke on the “I Am Athlete” podcast earlier this week essentially agreeing with what former Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett said about Jimmy Garoppolo without using expletives of his own. Players on the team were upset that Garoppolo didn’t suit up to play in the Week 4 game against the Bills in 2016 which they were shutout. (It was only 1 of their 2 losses that entire season)
Bennett put it bluntly on the Double Coverage podcast with the McCourty twins in October of 2021 if you want to hear that from the man himself in all its glory.
(35:00 mark)
Also if you check that video take note of the McCourty brothers laughing while Bennett roasts Garoppolo. They agree with him without saying a word. Multiple players on that 2016 team were down on Garoppolo.
Ok what does this have to do with Belichick’s feelings towards Brady?
Well, Belichick’s willful ignorance of Jimmy Garoppolo’s ability to stay on the field and get back on the field was a byproduct of what seemed to be blind rage knowing that in the depths of Belichick’s soul that Tom Brady had more to do with the success of the team than himself and that just chapped his ass to no end.
We all remember the “We’re not talking about open heart surgery here” comment Belichick made in reference to Brady’s thumb injury sustained in practice the week before the 2018 AFC Championship game against the Jaguars where in the post game press conference after another comeback victory to add to Tom Brady’s legacy, reporters asked about Brady’s ability to play through the injury.
Judging by the look on his face, Bill was seemingly sick and tired of all the love Tom was getting and had to say something about it.
Of course Belichick has had that stone sour face a million times before at press conferences, but right after punching your ticket to another Super Bowl?
One would think there would be a little joy in the “Emperor’s” heart (as Julian Edelman equates him to).
So Bill had the grapefruits to give the ol “rub some dirt on it you’ll be fine” comment to Brady moments after ANOTHER classic postseason victory led by the greatest quarterback to lace them up but makes sure that Jimmy Garoppolo, who didn’t toughen up to start the Patriots’ last game before Brady’s return in 2016, gets only great things said about him especially when Belichick is finally forced to trade him on Halloween of 2017 for only a 2nd round draft pick. That had to have been a trick of a return considering that it was widely reported that the Cleveland Browns were offering more for the Italian Stallion. And on the flip side it was a treat for Garoppolo to “get a good coach” going to Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers.
Is Bill Belichick stupid? No.Is he going senile? (He is one of only a handful of NFL head coaches to coach into his 70s) but it’s highly doubtful.
So it’s fair to assume that Bill Belichick, arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history, could see in 2016 that Jimmy Garoppolo was not as durable as a franchise quarterback is expected to be but still wanted him to usurp Brady as the next guy while Brady was still playing at a MVP level.
Bill could ALSO see that a different team was willing to give more compensation in trading for Garoppolo but decided to trade him to a team where Jimmy G would have more success which in turn would make Bill look good for drafting him.
Those two things are grossly negligent and are NOT “what’s best for the team” A quote Bill Belichick has uttered in countless interviews and pressers.
In BB’s mind, what’s best for the team is what’s best for Bill.
And what was best for Bill was to minimize the greatness of Tom Brady, by getting behind some other QB (Garoppolo), to pad his own ego.