Since this time last year, rumors have swirled about some tension within the New England Patriots, namely between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
And James Harrison, who had a cup of coffee with the Pats last season, is here to tell you no such rift exists.
In January 2018, ESPN released a bombshell report suggesting there was a major rift between Brady, Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft. They all denied the rumors, and this season it seemed like there wasn’t a bunch of animosity surrounding the Patriots.
During an appearance on WEEI’s “Ordway, Merloni and Fauria,” on Thursday Harrison unleashed a pretty interesting take about where the rumors may have started.
“I didn’t have any preset notions,” Harrison said of coming into the Patriots organization. “The only thing I had at that time was (the media) were saying there was a rift between Tom Brady and the ownership and Bill Belichick, and I’m like ‘alright I’m going to get here and I’m going to see some dirt.'”
Then Harrison dropped this.
“They make up stories to bring them boys closer together, I promise you.”
Wait, they make up stories?
“Yes,” Harrison said. “Everybody makes up stories — they may make it up to get somebody to make it up, like it’s crazy. I swear, I was there dude, I didn’t see not one — I’m talking about holding meetings, conversations with him, I’m looking like ‘damn, are they cussing at each other, they fussing at each other?’ No. Like literally when they say it’s New England versus everybody, you believe that. I was there four, six weeks, and by week two I really believed, I’m telling you in my honest heart and soul, it was us versus everybody. Everybody hated us. And I was there for six weeks.”
Harrison then doubled down on his stance.
“Dude, somebody developed something to create something. They’ve got somebody that’s leaking fake information and (the media) think that they’re getting a firsthand (scoop).”
Although at first it seems like a pretty wild theory, it may not be the most far-fetched thing to happen. But given the author of the ESPN story, Seth Wickersham, has stood by his reporting the whole time, we may never find out who leaked the rumor in the first place.
