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USA Today via Reuters
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, Dec 24, 2017 Foxborough, MA, USA New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady 12 talks with head coach Bill Belichick during warm ups before the start of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports, 24.12.2017 12:27:53, 10497859, Buffalo Bills, NPStrans, New England Patriots, NFL, Tom Brady, Gillette Stadium, TopPic, Bill Belichick PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDavidxButlerxIIx 10497859
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1020974171h.jpg?width=600)
USA Today via Reuters
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, Dec 24, 2017 Foxborough, MA, USA New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady 12 talks with head coach Bill Belichick during warm ups before the start of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports, 24.12.2017 12:27:53, 10497859, Buffalo Bills, NPStrans, New England Patriots, NFL, Tom Brady, Gillette Stadium, TopPic, Bill Belichick PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDavidxButlerxIIx 10497859
The “Let’s Go” show had a lineup stacked with incredible guests all through the 2022-2023 season. And they’re rolling back to a “Best Of” episode, where they’ve dished out an interview with none other than Coach Bill Belichick. That’s the same dude who’s all about the foundation behind the ultimate QB partnership with Tom Brady.
For those who want more about Brady untold, Coach Belichick spills the beans on why he picked Brady. He lays it out straight – back when Brady was repping Michigan, he held it down, and the team was doing great. But when Drew Henson stepped in, things took a nosedive.
Bill Belichick’s diamond discovery
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In a talk with Jim Gray, Patriots HC Belichick spills more tea on Tom Brady’s come-up. Turns out, Belichick clocked Brady’s potential during his senior year at Michigan. The dude was clutch in those crucial moments. Jim Gray’s grilling Belichick like, “What did you see in him that others didn’t? When he got that ball, when Drew Bledsoe went out, or perhaps before a training camp?”
The real kicker story – Belichick spills some unheard gems. Saying, “I think it kind of started, senior year when Tom would start every game, and then Michigan would do pretty good.”
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via Getty
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 09: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots reacts against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
It all began during Tom’s senior year at Michigan. Brady was holding it down every game, and Michigan was soaring. Then, Henson jumps in, and it’s like a downhill slide: “And then, Henson would come in and things usually didn’t go so good.” – HC Bill Belichick said on the podcast.
But then they throw Tom back in the mix, and suddenly, they’re stacking up Ws. Oh, and that Orange Bowl game against Alabama? Per Coach Brady killed it, “and then they bring Tom back at the end, and they won most of their games, and he had a great orange bowl game against Alabama.”
Don’t sleep on it – even though Brady had a sluggish start in the NFL, his grind crushed a seasoned backup, Damon Heuer. The turning point? Brady going the distance against the Rams, and that’s when Belichick gave him the nod as the starter.
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Tom Brady’s unknown history
Belichick keeps it real, saying, Coach brought in Damon Heuer, thinking I need a solid backup QB. But Tom straight-up outperformed him over three seasons. Tom became the backup, and when Drew went down, well, history was written. Until that showdown against the Rams, the St. Louis game. Belichick mentioned he used to split reps between Tom and Drew, but Tom went all-in that game.
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And you know what? Patriots HC realized he had to give the starting QB the lion’s share of reps. Half the snaps ain’t cutting it. So, right then and there, he crowned Tom the starter. Bill Belichick – “I made Tom the starting quarterback, and a smart decision I ever made, maybe other than drafting him.”
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