Bill Belichick’s greatest mistake was betting against Tom Brady

Beneath the crackling fireworks and pouring confetti, a 43-year-old Tom Brady hoisted his seventh Lombardi Trophy and delivered his greatest “I told you so” to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Super Bowl Sunday.

It’s both poetic and pure irony that the one man that bet on Brady with the 199th pick of the 2000 NFL Draft made the mistake of betting against him. Being the architect behind the greatest dynasty in NFL history doesn’t make a man beyond reproach, and Belichick has earned the excoriating criticism he now faces for blowing his own impeccable creation to smithereens.

He was the one with the remote controller in his hands when rumors surfaced of the Patriots possibly shipping Brady to San Francisco and promoting Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback. His finger was on the button when he failed at every turn to get his aging quarterback the receiving help that was needed. He pushed down when he remained cold to salvaging the working relationship by simply showing some form of affection to his longtime pupil.

In retrospect, was it really that hard?

Brady never complained while playing below market value with less talent than many of the other elite quarterbacks in the league. He remained loyal to the franchise even when some of his closest friends and favorite teammates were ultimately lowballed out of New England. His dedication never wavered when he was constantly ripped in front of his teammates at film sessions.

All of that in exchange for a modicum of appreciation at the 11th hour, before he typed his goodbye letter to New England and went off to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Was it really that hard?

It certainly wasn’t hard for Tampa Bay.

The franchise that hadn’t won a playoff game in 18 years with the NFL’s worst winning percentage welcomed the longtime Patriot with open arms. Not only was Brady’s fingerprints all over the offense, but he also wore the GM hat and personally recruited Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette.

All three of those players scored the only touchdowns at Super Bowl LV.

Meanwhile, back in Foxborough, the Patriots are coming off a 7-9 season with no quarterback, quite possibly the league’s worst skilled group and the No. 15 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft to start their rebuild.

Things have devolved to the point where future potential free agent signings might look at the situation and say, “Hell no.”

New England was one of many places linked to former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, and then NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran dropped the bombshell report that he’d rather be traded “anywhere but New England.”

Ouch.

That report lit a fire in the bellies of Patriots fans all over the world. ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi, a former Patriot, even went as far as commenting that Stafford wasn’t “tough enough” to play for the Patriots. And yet, Gronkowski retired a Patriot and nearly broke down into tears in front of media members, while explaining the toll football had taken on him.

“Football was bringing me down, and I didn’t like it. I was losing that joy in life,” said Gronkowski.

Fast forward a little over a year later and the legendary tight end was hauling in six receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns to help Brady and the Buccaneers win Super Bowl LV. The fact that he’s already talking about playing again next season means he’s obviously rekindled his love for the game.

And to think, all he needed was Brady, palm trees and a more player-friendly culture—some 1,328 miles away from Belichick and the Patriots.

It’s proof that talent and real relationships can beat out the cold-blooded calculations of the machine. Brady’s impact within an organization transcends even his own talent on the field. There’s a LeBron James effect in there as well with guys willing to flock to his location—sometimes even for less money—just for an opportunity to play with him.

That mystique is now gone for the Patriots. Top free agents aren’t going to sell their services for the bare minimum just to play in the freezing cold on a ship Belichick runs tighter than Emperor Palpatine.

The “Patriot Way” only works when the team is winning.

Belichick overplayed his hand by undervaluing Brady’s worth on and off the field. His legacy as the greatest coach in NFL history should never be questioned, but his own actions opened the door for such a debate to even exist.

Sure, it’s possible for a quick turnaround. This isn’t a situation where the Patriots need to throw the entire team away. There’s also the fact that Belichick will be motivated more than ever to rebuild the fleet piece by piece. Cap space, draft picks and a little determination can go a long way.

But it’s also possible that the team stinks again next season as well. Meanwhile, Brady has the Buccaneers positioned to potentially chase the first ever dynasty in franchise history.

What would another one or possibly even two more Super Bowls do to that debate?

The stairway to a seventh ring started as nothing more than a pipe dream two years ago in New England, until Belichick pushed Brady out the door and turned it into a reality for Tampa Bay. Or should I say “Tom-pa Bay?”

Brady might not be willing to rank championships, but there’s no question what he accomplished this season was his greatest achievement yet.

He walked onto a brand new team in the middle of a global health pandemic and won a Super Bowl by beating Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes—a proverbial mic drop to a quarterback vs. head coach debate that should have never existed.