The New England Patriots’ unequaled dynasty will end soon.
That’s not a hot take nor a reaction to the ESPN report of friction (FRICTION!!!) inside the Patriots’ organization. It’s just a tinge of realism. Tom Brady is 40 years old. Bill Belichick is 65 years old. These guys won’t be around forever, friction or friends.
Patriots fans should enjoy the hell out of the dynasty while they still can.
There’s a certain subset of Patriots fans who love to complain. That’s probably true about fanbases of teams across all sports, but most franchises don’t make it to eight championship games in 17 seasons.
Those Patriots fans complain about the defense. They complain about trading away players. They complain about spending too much money on free agents. They complain about the media coverage of the team. They complain about officiating. They complain about other fanbases complaining about the officiating. They complain about the political affiliation of key members of the organization. They complain a lot about the pass rush. They complain about EVERYTHING.
They should stop. Not only is it a bad look, but in due time there will be real, actual things to complain about.
There’s absolutely no telling when Brady or Belichick will retire or leave the organization. It’s clear, based on their respective ages, that it’s sooner than later. And at some point, both Brady and Belichick have to start to wonder how much there is left to accomplish. A sixth Super Bowl win would give Brady the most of any player in NFL history. Belichick, with a win, would pass George Halas and Vince Lombardi for most career NFL championships.
Continuing past a prospective sixth ring would mean lapping the competition and chasing players and coaches in other sports.
There’s no replacing either man. Sure, the Patriots can find another quarterback. They’ll probably draft one in April, and he very well could be as good as Jimmy Garoppolo or any other top quarterback in the NFL. But expecting him to be Brady is asinine.
And replacing Belichick will be just as impossible. He is a tremendous strategist, but the Patriots also win because they’re willing to completely outwork teams. Belichick gets his assistants — on the coaching, scouting and personnel side — to put in a ridiculous attention to detail. Breaking down a single play would cause a layman to lose his or her mind. Why do they put in the work, then? Because Belichick is that kind of leader. He demands it, and he receives it. He commands it.
You think a coach or scout is going to want to work 80 hours a week for someone who’s not Bill Belichick?
It’s also reasonable to believe, even if, as expected, Belichick and Brady are back for a 19th season together in 2018, that the team won’t be as good as they’ve been since 2014. They’re expected to have new offensive and defensive coordinators in 2018, and they could have a new special teams coach as well. The Patriots thrive on continuity. There will be less next season.
This isn’t spelling out doomsday. It’s a call to appreciate something in the moment.
So, please enjoy the next two weeks. Rewatch some old games. Relive Super Bowl memories. Stare longingly at Brady’s Pro Football Reference page and Belichick’s win total. And during Super Bowl LII, relish the game. Fans will probably want to throw their remote at the television if the defense lets up a touchdown or if the offense turns the ball over. Try not to. The dynasty is living on borrowed time. There’s so little left for Brady, Belichick or the franchise to accomplish. Enjoy the process.
At some point, Super Bowls won’t be biennial occurrences. Fans need to enjoy it while they can.
