New England Patriots

Tom Brady Endorses UNC Hiring of Bill Belichick

Published

4 weeks ago

December 17, 2024

Bill Belichick coached in the NFL for 49 years. Nobody played in more games for Belichick-coached teams than Tom Brady. The legendary quarterback took the field 326 times, including the postseason, under the legendary head coach. As a result, perhaps nobody is better suited to offer an opinion on Belichick’s new job with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Brady admitted the news “kind of blew me away.” He did not envision UNC being the spot where Belichick would resume his coaching career. However, he was more confident in the type of job his former coach would do in Chapel Hill.

“They’re getting, obviously, a tremendous coach,” said Brady. “Those guys are going to play very hard. He’s going to coach them well. It’s a great benefit for all those players that are going to that program because they’re getting the best coach that the NFL has ever seen.”

Also Read – Report: Bill Belichick to Become Head Coach at North Carolina

Brady expressed his thoughts during the broadcast of Sunday’s Eagles-Steelers game, where he provided color commentary.

Belichick-Brady Partnership

The relationship between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady goes back nearly 25 years. The New England Patriots selected Brady in the sixth round (No. 199 overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe during the 2001 season, and the rest is history.

New England went 219-64 in the regular season and 30-11 in the postseason with Belichick as their head coach and Brady playing quarterback. The combo helped the Patriots win 17 AFC East titles, nine AFC Championships, and six Super Bowls.

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2017, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady holds up Super Bowl trophies along with head coach Bill Belichick, right, and team owner Robert Kraft, left, during a rally in Boston to celebrate the win over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game in Houston. Tom Brady is an NFL free agent for the first time in his career. The 42-year-old quarterback with six Super Bowl rings said Tuesday morning, March 17, 2020, that he is leaving the New England Patriots. The Patriots Dynasty won six Super Bowls. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) — *(AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)*

Their working relationship came to an end following the 2019 NFL season. Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. He won another Lombardi Trophy with them in 2020, earning Super Bowl 55 Most Valuable Player in the process. Although the two men appeared to have a fractured relationship when Brady departed, it appears time has healed all wounds. Belichick was a guest at ‘The Roast of Tom Brady‘ on May 5 and spoke during Tom Brady Night at Gillette Stadium on June 12.

Bill Belichick has yet to coach a game at the college level, but an endorsement from Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest player who ever lived, is a nice start to his North Carolina tenure. Next comes attracting players and winning games.