Tom Brady, Bill Belichick Are Both On Message For 2018
BOSTON (CBS) -- Whether it was real or imagined, stories and speculation about turmoil among the most important members of the Patriots have followed the team for the entirety of the calendar year. But with training camp turning a corner and the regular season within sight, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have officially coordinated their messaging.
Both Belichick and Brady partook in interviews on WEEI this week, and the topic of friction was raised with both.
Here's what Belichick said on Ordway, Merloni And Fauria when asked about the reported "rocky relationship" and if it's changed over the years:
"Something different? I mean, look, 19 years is 19 years. So any relationship is going to evolve over that period of time, which ours has. But we still do basically the same things that we've done for quite a period of time now. And I don't see that changing."
"I have a good relationship with Tom. I have a lot of respect for Tom. We've won a lot of games together, and I hope we can win some more together. I know he feels the same way."
On Tuesday morning, Brady joined Kirk & Callahan and said this when asked how his relationship with Belichick has changed:
"I think our priorities are the same as they've always been, and I think that's why we get along so well. We're here to win, and like I said, it's been a very professional environment that he's created and I think I'm very lucky to be in that environment. I think he's the best coach that's ever coached in the NFL. And I feel very privileged to have kind of been mentored by him for as long as I have. Not many players have been able to be coached by the greatest coach of all time, and I have. And I think I'm very lucky to be able to have that."
Notably absent from both comments were any long, drawn-out pauses. There was no pleading of the fifth. Just a coordinated message that the two most important people in Foxboro are on the same page as the 2018 season really begins in earnest.