Review: “The Dynasty” Episode 10 – End Game

The New England Patriots’ incredible run under the trio of Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady is being captured in a docuseries called “The Dynasty” on Apple TV. Patriots Football Now will be reviewing each episode. There will be ‘spoilers’ about the content of the episodes in these reviews, but presumably, anyone reading already knows the outcomes of the actual events.

The final episode begins with highlights of the Philadelphia Eagles win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52. Zack Ertz scores a touchdown for Philadelphia. A broadcaster’s voice is heard saying Tom Brady threw for 505 yards, a postseason record.

Off-screen, series director Matthew Hamechek is asking Bill Belichick about losing after, “Tom had the greatest game…”

“Offensively, they scored more points than we did,” answers Belichick.

Tom Brady is then shown being asked after the Super Bowl if he feels appreciated in Foxboro. His response was, “I plead the fifth.”

Robert Kraft then details a story about Brady and his wife, Gisele Bundchen going over to Kraft’s house. Kraft had invited Brady to “air out” what was going on in terms of the tension between Belichick and Brady.

Brady is asked about that event at the current time.

“There are things that I’d like to keep to myself,” Brady responds. “Look, there’s no perfect relationship. And there’s things that are said or done that can’t be unsaid or undone.”

Kraft then shares in part what transpired when the couple came over.

“That f’n Belichick doesn’t treat my Tommy (Brady) like a man,” proclaimed Bundchen.

“If you want to go, I’ll work it out so you can go,” Kraft says he told Brady by the meeting’s end.

Concessions for Brady

Brady skips the start of the 2018 Patriots offseason program for the first time. He is shown traveling and vacationing with his family. While Brady is shown posting photos of his family meeting camels, Belichick is shown meeting with the media at the offseason program. He is asked about the absence of his quarterback.

“I’m not gonna talk about the guys that aren’t here,” Belichick replies.

Among the concessions made to Tom Brady coming back to New England in a happy place is the reinstatement of Brady’s trainer and friend, Alex Guerrero. A press conference is shown with Belichick refusing to answer questions about Guerrero.

“Bill (Belichick) was pissed,” recalls Kraft. “Allowing Alex Guerrero back, it was the one time through twenty years I really have stepped in and got involved.”

2018 New England Patriots

The season starts and a montage of Patriots highlights roll. New England continues to win. Belichick is shown giving Robert Kraft a game ball after a victory, the fastest owner in NFL history to 300 career wins.

However, Kraft describes the dynamics between player and coach as “unnatural and uncomfortable.”

Matthew Slater talks about the awkward silences in the captain’s meetings when Belichick called on Brady. And Tom Brady even asked Slater to pass messages along to Belichick for him (which Slater opted out of).

“We just didn’t talk a lot,” Brady states.

Nevertheless, New England advances to the AFC Championship game, where it’s Brady vs. Mahomes, the next great quarterback in the NFL. Rex Burkhead scores a touchdown and the Patriots advance to another Super Bowl.

Back to Kraft for more talk on the dysfunction in New England.

“Tommy (Brady) is the greatest in the 100-year history of the game, and I think he represented a threat to Bill (Belichick)’s full power. He didn’t want Tommy there. And so when you come to this decision, Brady or Belichick, I thought back to the Eagles Super Bowl.

“Tommy threw over 500 yards but Bill made a tremendous error (not playing Malcolm Butler). I credited Bill with that loss. To be honest, my head coach is a pain in the tush. But I was willing to put up with it as long as we won. So for the next Super Bowl, I wanted to keep an eye on him.”

Super Bowl 53

The New England Patriots get set to battle the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53. Just as the AFC Championship Game was Brady vs. the great young QB, the Super Bowl was Belichick vs. the great young head coach, Sean McVay.

McVay is shown giving Belichick a ton of credit and respect before the game, which elicits almost no reaction from Belichick. The Rams were the best offensive team the Patriots had faced in a Super Bowl since their first title in Super Bowl 36 against “The Greatest Show on Turf.”

“But what they didn’t realize was Bill (Belichick) was always finding the edge most people wasn’t thinking about,” stated Devin McCourty.

For the Super Bowl, the Patriots switched to a zone defense the Rams had never seen on tape because New England had never used it. It completely baffled the Los Angeles offense. A montage is shown of the Patriots defense stifling the Rams offense.

“(Belichick’s) ability to change like a chameleon to attack an offense is I think really unmatched,” noted Matthew Slater.

The final highlight is an interception by Stephon Gilmore. The New England Patriots win their sixth Super Bowl. Brady and Belichick meet on the field after the win.

“Hey, congrats man,” offers Brady.

“Hey, I love you,” Belichick responds with a big hug.

“Love you too, man.”

When Belichick’s defensive genius is credited at the podium after the win he defers credit to his players.

“It’s really about the players. They competed today like champions. They played like champions.”

Post-Super Bowl

The New England Patriots won their sixth Super Bowl by a final score of 13-3.

“After winning that Super Bowl, I thought what an amazing defensive job our staff did, under the leadership of Bill (Belichick,” said Robert Kraft.

Tom Brady said, “I wasn’t going to sign up for more of it.”

Brady’s father and sister Nancy spoke. Nancy Brady was sure to show appreciation for the franchise, fans, the region, and the Kraft family. Tom Brady was ready to try and find out if things could be done a different way in a different place.

Kraft recounted Brady coming to his house to tell him he’d decided to move on before breaking down in tears. They called Belichick to tell him of the decision. Belick was asked about Brady leaving.

“Saying goodbye’s always hard,” said Belichick. “And I loved coaching Tom (Brady), loved having him on the football team. But at that point in time I think he made the best and the right decision.”

“I’m very proud of our journey,” reflected Brady, getting emotional. “It was hard but it was great.”

Brady’s Football Future

A montage of audio clips reporting that Tom Brady is leaving the New England Patriots is played. Matthew Slater, Julian Edelman, and Devin McCourty recount finding out about it on the news, television, or Twitter.

Tom Brady tweets in part that, “I don’t know what my football future holds, but it is time for me to open a new stage in my life and career.”

LOVE YOU PATS NATION pic.twitter.com/lxSQZmnjPL

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 17, 2020

The montage continues, showing Tom Brady signing with Tampa Bay, being joined by Rob Gronkowski, and winning another Super Bowl.

A broadcaster’s voice is heard saying, “What makes seven (Super Bowls) important is it is the one without (Bill) Belichick.”

Another montage is then shown of the New England Patriots struggles after Brady’s departure, including Cam Newton throwing an interception.

“I could have got the kid from Foxboro High School to tell you you shouldn’t let Tom Brady go,” said Danny Amendola.

Robert Kraft then reveals that he believes Tom Brady would have stayed in New England if Bill Belichick wasn’t there. The Patriots owner then concludes, “Keeping them together for twenty years is the hardest thing I’ve done in my business career.”

Three Years Later

The Patriots prepare to honor Tom Brady at halftime of their home opener on Sept. 10, 2023.

Audio montage plays of talk show hosts debating who was more valuable, Belichick or Brady.

“I look at all the success,” says Scott Pioli. “And when I hear, was it Bill? Was it Tom? It’s disrespectful. I think It’s disrespectful to every player that helped win a championship for the Patriots.”

Willie McGinest reflects on being a Patriot during a montage of key players. Malcolm Butler, Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, Drew Bledsoe, and Adam Vinatieri are featured.

“Everybody wants to go to the Super Bowl,” says Ernie Adams. “Not everybody really wants to do what it takes to get there.”

Adams then reflects on the idea that it being no fun in New England.

“Our fun, frankly, is being on that field after the Super Bowl, confetti coming down, putting your fingerprints on that Lombardi Trophy. That’s the fun. That’s the payoff.”

Journalist Howard Byrant pontificates on the dynasty final results.

“Two people can say there’s not a single person in the history of mankind who is as good as me at what I did.” Bryant adds, “And then there’s a third one, Robert Kraft, who can say I am responsible for keeping them together. They rewrote history. And so no matter how you feel about how they got there, it’s a pretty good place to be.”

It cuts back to Tom Brady speaking at halftime of that 2023 game.

“One thing I’m sure of, and that will never change, is that I am a Patriot for life. I love you guys so much. Thank you.”

It concludes with Tom Brady in the studio.

“It’s perfect. It doesn’t need to be more than that.”

Epilogue

A final black screen details the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick “parting ways” following the 2023 season. The end.

Episode 8 Review: 8/10

The last five minutes of this episode, beginning with Scott Pioli’s comment, is the highlight of the entire series for me. There never needed to be a Belichick vs. Brady narrative or debates about who deserved more credit. Unfortunately, despite ending on that note, it seems that is what this entire docuseries was about. It falls in the category of “too little too late” to save the series, but it was a nice way to finish off the episode.

Ernie Adams deserved more screen time. He was sensational every time he spoke. Tom Brady’s sister Nancy also did a nice job of cushioning the blow to Patriots fans over her brother’s departure.

Once again, a good amount of details, which appeared to be key details at the time, were omitted. Brady’s final season and final game with the Patriots was missing. Rob Gronkowski retired with New England only to come out of retirement with Tampa Bay. And it was great hearing Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater talk about Belichick’s positives as a coach, not merely having players comment on the negative aspects of playing for him.

Overall this was the best episode since Episode 2. It wasn’t a matter of there being no drama, but that was not the sole focus at least. For a team that had so much success over two decades, it is almost impossible to fathom that so much of this series was so negative.

The New England Patriots dynasty has now been recounted in “The Dynasty” series. And while the series itself left a lot to be desired, the final episode was more solid and fair than one would expect after the previous seven.