It’s been four years since Tom Brady left the New England Patriots, a long and difficult four years, but the choice to leave is still as emotional as ever.
In the impending finale of The Dynasty: New England Patriots, a 10-part Apple TV documentary charting the highs and lows of the team’s storied era, Brady described meeting with owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick to explain his choice.
“He [Kraft] said, ‘I think we should call Bill,’ and then when Bill answered, it was emotional,” Brady stated in a preview clip for the finale provided by People. “Because, again, it was a chapter coming to an end, and I expressed that to Bill, too.”
Belichick and Kraft both offered their accounts of that fateful day, albeit in very different ways. Stoic as ever, Belichick said Brady’s choice to depart was “kind of what I expected,” but he also added a touch of emotion, saying “saying goodbye is always hard.” Kraft, on the other hand, was present in person and able to dwell on the emotions that both he and Brady experienced.
The Patriots’ dynasty fell after Brady left, ending in Belichick’s retirement following a disappointing 2023 season. That being said, Brady, Belichick, and Kraft were the three cornerstones of the greatest dynasty the NFL has ever seen and is likely to see, and nothing can ever take that away from them.
The Patriots’ dynasty fell after Brady left, ending in Belichick’s retirement following a disappointing 2023 season. That being said, Brady, Belichick, and Kraft were the three cornerstones of the greatest dynasty the NFL has ever seen and is likely to see, and nothing can ever take that away from them.