Tom Brady pens heartfelt message to Bill Belichick on Patriots departure

Bill Belichick's departure from the New England Patriots gave his former players the opportunity to thank the legendary head coach for his impact on their lives.

The biggest of those names is obviously Tom Brady, the quarterback who will forever be linked to Belichick's legacy and the Patriots dynasty he helmed.

Brady spoke from the heart on Instagram, marking Belichick's place in NFL history.

Tom Brady pens touching tribute to Bill Belichick

"I'm incredibly grateful to have played for the best coach in the history of the NFL," Brady wrote.

"He was a great leader for the organization, and for all of the players who played for him. We accomplished some amazing things over a long period of time, many of which will be hard to replicate. he worked every day to help us achieve the ultimate goal, in the ultimate team sport. And, although we were successful, some of the greatest lessons, I learned, were in the moments where we faced the most challenging adversities. He set the tone for the organization, to never Falter in the face of adversity, and to do what we could do, and what was in our control, which was to go out and DO OUR JOB.

"I could never have been the player I was without you Coach Belichick. I am forever grateful. And I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose next."

Julian Edelman, who was there for the best of times in New England as well, dropped a video commemorating Belichick on Twitter.

Belichick's gruff demeanor has become a bit of a meme but he inspired plenty of love and respect inside the locker room.

The head coach took over in New England in 2000 after serving as the Jets defensive coordinator for two years. He had been a DBs coach for the team in 1996 after a four-year stint as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. While things didn't work out for him in Cleveland, his tenure with the Patriots was a dream.

For more than 20 years, Belichick fielded one of the most consistently excellent teams in the NFL. He won eight Super Bowls, the first capping the 2001 season and the last for the 2018 NFL championship.

The Patriots fell on hard times in more recent years, failing to make the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. A 4-13 record in 2023 was enough to convince Robert Kraft that he needed to move on from the Super Bowl winner.

Brady left the Patriots and found immediate success at his next stop with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Assuming Belichick still has fuel left in the tank, it will be interesting to see what he can do with a fresh start somewhere else.