Tom Brady gets the last laugh on Bill Belichick in Patriots divorce

Tamp Bay might not be heading to the postseason, but Tom Brady just showed the NFL he’s the reason for his success.

When looking back on the history of his career, Tom Brady was always tied with another name. After being drafted 199th overall in 2000, no one knew what was to come.

Six Super Bowls. Countless playoff wins. Seven total MVPs. This was the New England Patriots‘ dynasty under his direction. For years, teams trembled in the AFC when it came time to face the music against Brady and Pats. Dozens battled, seven came out lucky.

The age-old question has always been what came first, the chicken or the egg. In the NFL, that question was expanded into a different reality. Who was the biggest reason behind the Patriots’ success? Was it Brady, or was it Bill Belichick?

After 20 years of marriage, the papers were signed last offseason. And like every divorce, it always feels like it’s a clear winner and a clear loser.

Belichick is planning for next season in Gillette Stadium. Brady now becomes the first quarterback in NFL history have home-field advantage in a Super Bowl.

Checkmate.

Brady gets the last laugh on Belichick

When leaving Foxborough, Brady had to land on a team that would help him win the debate on who needed whom more. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were coming off a season with a pair of 1,000-yard targets and a quarterback who became a 30-for-30 icon.

Many believed Brady was a product of Belichick and Josh McDaniels’ system. Instead, the system failed him after two decades of near perfection.

One year into his $50 million deal, the proof behind Brady’s success lives on. The 43-year-old redefined the way fans judge age, throwing for over 4,500 yards for the first time since 2017 and scoring 40 touchdowns through the air.

Belichick with Cam Newton? They scored 20 total touchdowns together, 12 of which came from his legs. Same system as Brady, much different results.

The Buccaneers’ defense was saved late by some choice play calls on the Green Bay Packers side. Even so, Brady’s hot start and three touchdowns gave Tampa Bay an 18-point lead with just over 20 minutes to go in the second half.

It wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t matter. Brady once again defied the odds.

Tampa Bay proved the “quarterback away” mantra works. More than that, Brady proved that despite being the oldest player left in the NFL, the right weapons around him could keep him playing for years to come.

And for the city of Tampa Bay, which hasn’t seen a 10-win season since 2010, they’ll rejoice and look for a place to build the statue of the G.O.A.T. In one season, the Buccaneers went from potentially the most overrated franchise to a superstar sensation.

Brady broke the curse for the swashbuckling franchise. It’s time for Belichick to admit defeat before walking the plank.