April 2025 — For years, fans wondered why Tom Brady left the New England Patriots. Now, the legendary quarterback has finally explained what happened. In his newsletter, Brady revealed that he left the Patriots in 2020 because of growing tension between him and longtime head coach Bill Belichick.
The two spent 20 seasons together, won six Super Bowl championships, and became one of the most successful duos in sports history. But even great partnerships can face problems — and that’s exactly what happened.
Why Brady Left the Patriots
In his newsletter, Brady wrote honestly about what led to the split:
“After twenty years together, a natural tension had developed between where Coach Belichick and I were headed in our careers, and where the Patriots were moving as a franchise.”
Brady explained that he and Belichick had different goals at that point. The team was also changing, and it became clear that it was time for something new.
He said the tension wasn’t personal or dramatic — it was just something that built up over time. And eventually, there were only two options: either fix the situation or go separate ways.
A Decision Years in the Making
Even though Brady officially left in March 2020, he said he started thinking about free agency two or three years earlier. He called it “a creeping decision,” meaning it started slowly and stayed in the back of his mind.
After the Patriots lost in the Wild Card round to the Tennessee Titans at the end of the 2019 season, Brady knew he had to really think about what he wanted next.
“I asked myself, as someone headed into their forties with school-age kids and twenty years’ worth of battle scars, what truly mattered to me now?”
He made a list of personal and football priorities. In the end, the list told him it was time to move on.
Soon after leaving the Patriots, Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first season, he helped the Bucs win the Super Bowl, earning his seventh championship ring. This showed that he could still succeed—even without Belichick and the Patriots’ system.
Even though things didn’t end perfectly, Brady has always shown respect for his old coach. In the 2024 Dynasty documentary, Brady admitted that he and Belichick had an amazing run — but that it had to end.
“I wasn’t going to sign another contract [in New England], even if I wanted to play until I was 50,” he said. “Based on how things had gone, I wasn’t going to sign up for more of it.”
Robert Kraft’s Take on the Situation
Robert Kraft, the Patriots owner, also spoke about the Brady-Belichick relationship in The Dynasty documentary. He shared that, at one point, the two men “basically didn’t speak to each other” during an entire season. He said that tension was a major reason the team’s winning streak ended.
Still, Kraft always made it clear that Brady was one of the most important players in team history. In 2023, Brady was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame, and even though Belichick had left the team, he supported Brady at the event — and at Brady’s Netflix comedy roast. That showed that they were both trying to move on with respect while the past was rocky.
Where Are They Now?
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Tom Brady is now retired from football. He works in broadcasting, runs several businesses, and is a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. He even contacted Belichick about coaching the team, but they chose Pete Carroll instead.
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Bill Belichick is now coaching college football at the University of North Carolina after leaving the Patriots in 2024.
Even though their football journey ended with some problems, Brady and Belichick made NFL history together. They created a winning culture, broke records, and inspired future players and coaches.
“I’m incredibly grateful to have played for the best coach in the history of the NFL,” Brady said in an Instagram post after Belichick’s exit. “I could never have been the player I was without you, Coach Belichick.”
Fans and sports reporters spent years guessing why Brady left the Patriots. Now we finally have the answer — not from rumours, but from Brady himself. It wasn’t a big fight. It wasn’t a scandal. It was just two legends who had different visions for the future.
Time has helped both men move forward. They’re no longer teammates but’ll always be connected by everything they achieved together.
And whether you’re a Patriots fan, a Bucs fan, or just someone who loves football — their story is one for the history books.
