'Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick': Retired QB Ends 'Stupid' Patriots Debate (Forever?)

“I think it’s such a stupid conversation to say ‘Brady vs. Belichick’ because in my mind that’s not what partnerships are about,” the retired Patriots legend says.

FOXBORO - It is part of the fiber of fandom, from barber shops to barrooms, and even though this debate has and always will be New England-centric, "Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick'' is an argument of such magnitude that it's pretty much world-wide.

Oh, and according to Brady himself, it's also pretty much "stupid.''

“I think it’s such a stupid conversation to say ‘Brady vs. Belichick’ because in my mind that’s not what partnerships are about,” Brady said as he Belichick as a guest for the first post-retirement edition of his “Let’s Go!” podcast. “Coach couldn’t play quarterback and I couldn’t coach … In my view it was just people always trying to pull us apart, and I don’t think we ever felt that with each other.

"We never were trying to pull each other apart, we actually were always trying to go in the same direction.”

Brady’s decision to leave New England prior to the start of the 2020 NFL season probably fed some of the narrative of "conflict.'' That doesn't mean that as Brady is reflecting on announcing his retirement after an incredible 23-year career in the NFL, there was an absence of disagreement on the way to six Super Bowl titles.

“I think when we were in New England for 20 years together, they get tired of writing the same story,” Brady said, at times in the visit showing great emotion. “So once they write all the nice things, championships, and this, they just start going, 'Well this works, let’s start trying to divide them.'”

“We didn’t always agree but we always respected each other. I know he always respected me for the job that I did and I certainly did the same.”

“Tom’s had just a tremendous career,” Belichick told co-host Jim Gray. “The greatest player, the greatest career. A great, great person. It was such an opportunity and an honor for me to coach Tom … I guess it’s gotta end at some point. But it’s the greatest one ever. Congratulations, Tom.”

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