Tom Brady and Bill Belichick had their differences, but they never overshadowed the immense respect the New England Patriots greats have for one another.
For the first post-retirement episode of Brady's "Let's Go!" podcast with co-host Jim Gray, Belichick joined to congratulate his former quarterback on a stellar career. He was effusive in his praise of Brady, calling him "the greatest player" and a "great, great person."
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Brady, choked up after Belichick's statement, set the record straight on his relationship with his longtime head coach.
"For me, there's nobody I'd rather be associated with," Brady said. "From my standpoint, I think it's always a stupid conversation to say, 'Brady vs. Belichick' because, in my mind, that's not what a partnership is about.
"In my view, people were always trying to pull us apart. I don't think we ever felt like 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 and Belichick won six Super Bowls and appeared in nine during their 20 years together. They combined to lead one of the greatest dynasties in not just NFL, but American sports history.
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Much was made about a rumored rift between Brady and Belichick after their split in 2020. Brady acknowledged they weren't always on the same page, but the mutual respect was always there.
"[Bill and I] didn't always agree, but we respected each other," he said. "I know he respected me for the job I did, and I certainly did the same. When you go away from each other you respect each other that much more. I certainly did."
Before the podcast appearance, Belichick praised Brady in his official statement released shortly after the 45-year-old's retirement announcement. Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a statement of his own while stating a case for Brady to sign a one-day contract to retire with the organization.