“We Did It in the Patriots”: Standing Up for Bill Belichick Amid Criticism, Tom Brady Calls Out New England’s Team Spirit

All good things must end, much like the Brady-Belichick era. The post-Brady era has posed challenges for the team, sparking talks about the possibility of Bill Belichick’s legendary run with the New England Patriots ending after his 27-year tenure. Regardless of his retirement, the seven-time Super Bowl champion never fails to voice his support for the head coach. 

EXMA’s “Heroes & Doers” event, which took place at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, spotlighted retired NFL legend Tom Brady as one of its central figures. The event brought together personalities from the world of business and sports to pass on their leadership knowledge to young entrepreneurs. In his address to Mexican entrepreneurs, the NFL icon addressed the crucial attitude toward demands and pressures, citing important examples from his life as a 199th overall 2000 Draft pick achieving unexpected heights on his journey toward proving his worth. 

“He wanted me to be above average”: Brady heaps praise on Belichick

Popularly acclaimed as the best NFL player, Brady credits his success to his former New England Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick, and his strict yet effective coaching practices. “I’m proud of Coach Belichick. Without him, I wouldn’t have been what I am,” opined Brady before explaining how his coach for 20 years was pivotal in developing his ability to surpass the rest. “He didn’t want me to be average, he wanted me to be above average.” He further revealed how a team’s stellar performance in the league starts with vigorous practice on the home ground. “A team that doesn’t practice with the pressure at full throttle starts to fall apart. We did it on the Patriots.”

The New England Patriots drafted Tom Brady as the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. The team then had an established franchise QB in Drew Bledsoe and a reliable veteran backup in Damon Huard. Not many had lofty expectations for the tall, lanky young talent from Michigan. Nevertheless, as time passed, he quickly established himself as one of the most exceptional quarterbacks in NFL history.

“I wanted to prove to my team that I could trust myself,” admitted Brady at EXMA’s event in Mexico. It is his urge to prove himself that led him to become GOAT (or the greatest of all time). Yet, surprisingly enough, the great himself shies away from the title. 

Brady refuses to be referred to as GOAT

“I’ve never felt better than anyone else. I would never say I was better than a lot of players before me,” said the NFL icon on being asked about his opinion on being referred to as the greatest of all time. He was able to turn criticism and doubt into a positive force that pivoted him to perform better than others. “I never dreamed of being the best of all time. I dreamed of being the best version of myself” since “nobody believed in me, not even after my first Super Bowl,” Brady had revealed in an earlier conversation with Fernando Anzures, founder and director of EXMA. 

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“I looked at and studied Eli Manning, Brett Favre, I learned a lot from them, and I continue to learn from others like Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes,” the retired NFL veteran concluded, drawing attention to the fact that the crucial essence of progress lies in the ability to identify the best in others and incorporate them in a way that helps enhance one’s own skill set. 

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