Nick Wright on Tuesday morning delivered a particularly hot Bill Belichick take.
Basically, the FS1 talking head compared the New England Patriots head coach, and his role in the departures of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, to former Boston Red Sox owner Harry H. Frazee, who infamously sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Wright delivered his take amid Brady and Gronkowski's torrid start to the 2021 NFL season.
"Well, it's shaping up to be the single worst sports decision since a different disaster in the New England area -- and that's trading Babe Ruth," Wright said during Tuesday's "First Things First" episode. " ... That's where we're at. At least the Babe Ruth trade, Harry Frazee was broke and wanted to put on a new musical. So, he had a reason for it. Belichick had no reason for it."
After mentioning other questionable decisions throughout sports history, Wright went on a rant.
"You knew what Tom Brady was. You knew what Gronk was. And you pushed them out," Wright said. "... 2014, they draft Jimmy Garoppolo. It's totally reasonable. They hadn't won a Super Bowl in a decade. ... But then that year, they beat Seattle in the Super Bowl. Two years later, Brady orchestrates the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history against Atlanta and that offseason he wants Jimmy G gone. Belichick won't do it, goes into the year, and Brady has to go to (Robert) Kraft and say, 'I want him out of here.' And Kraft forces Belichick's hand. ... They go back to the Super Bowl and lose, Brady throws for 500 yards. The next season, Belichick tries to trade Rob Gronkowski to the Lions. ... Rob had to threaten to retire to veto that trade. How did that season end? With Rob Gronkowski making the biggest plays in the AFC Championship Game against (the Chiefs) in overtime, and Rob Gronkowski making the only explosive offense play in the Super Bowl. Patriots win again.
" ... That offseason, Gronk retires, because Belichick's done with him. Brady wants a new contract, they won't give it to him. So, they then rework it, give him a little extra money. Brady puts his house on the market because they are saying, 'We're done with you.' Well, now smash cut two years later, they (Brady and Gronkowski) won a Super Bowl, they are right now the leaders in touchdown passes and receptions, and the Patriots are out here doing checkdown-Charlie to Jonnu Smith trying to eke out 17-16 wins. How is this not an abject disaster?"
Obviously, it's all a bit dramatic, but Wright isn't coming from a place of total delusion.
The Patriots currently sit 1-1 through two games with a Week 3 game against the New Orleans Saints looming. Despite the performances of Brady and Gronkowski, the emergence of rookie quarterback Mac Jones has fueled optimism of a potentially bright Patriots future.
