Patriots Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft Applaud ‘Ultimate Winner’ Tom Brady on Retirement
New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick has often gone on record to say “there’s no quarterback I’d rather have than Tom Brady.”
As the old saying goes, ‘these two go back a while.’
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the legendary head coach was among the first to laud Brady after announcing his retirement on Wednesday, capping an illustrious 23-year career in the NFL.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon by Patriots, Belichick lauded his longtime quarterback with the highest of compliments, referring to the 45-year-old as the “ultimate winner.”
“His relentless pursuit of excellence drove him on a daily basis. His work ethic and desire to win were both motivational and inspirational to teammates and coaches alike.” Belichick wrote.
“I thank Tom for the positive impact on me and the Patriots and congratulate him on his amazing career.”
Belichick, in his first draft with the team, selected Brady as the 199th overall selection in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. In just the Michigan product’s second season, Belichick named him New England’s starting quarterback; standing by him even when incumbent Drew Bledsoe had returned from injury.
Little did anyone know that a 20-year run of unprecedented success was about to unfold.
The prolific player-coach tandem was among the most successful of its kind in professional sports. Together, they participated in 285 regular-season games, 41 postseason contests and a record-setting nine Super Bowl appearances. Their 219 combined victories is the most by any head coach/quarterback duo in the history of the NFL.
Belichick, Brady and the Patriots collectively won 17 AFC East Titles, nine conference championships and six Super Bowl titles. The pair were the key elements in one of the longest-running, and most successful dynasties in the history of American professional sports.
Team owner and CEO Robert Kraft also released a glowing statement Tuesday celebrating Brady’s success in New England.
“Words cannot adequately express the gratitude my family, the New England Patriots and our fans have for everything he has done,” Kraft said. “It's been a blessing for me to watch him grow, first as a young professional on the field, but most importantly, as a person off it. He is one of the most loving, caring and passionate players I have ever known and I will always consider him a part of our family."
While it may be a bit early to speculate on the organization’s potential plans to honor Brady in retirement, it is a safe bet that Wednesday’s statements will be far from the last Patriots Nation hears on the subject.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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