Tom Brady has caused New England fans a lingering heartache since his departure for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but is the same to be said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick?
Stephen A. Smith apparently doesn't seem to believe so. And the ESPN talking head had no problem calling out Belichick for what he explained was a lack of regret.
"Tom Brady, who played there, was there 20 years, six Super Bowl wins and nine Super Bowl appearances, okay, for him to do what he did, he should have never been just another guy," Smith said on Tuesday's episode of "First Take."
"He should've never been just another player."
For Patriots fans, Brady was never just another player. He was and always will be the greatest of all time and who wouldn't want the G.O.A.T on their side? Belichick, as Smith noted, seemed fine parting ways as he couldn't bring himself to ask Brady to stay.
"I was specifically told, if Tom wanted to stay, we would've worked it out," Smith said.
So, is this a matter of Brady wanting a new change of pace with a new team or did Belichick just not care enough for Brady to stick around? Either way, the Patriots have seen the repercussions of it given the fact it's been a somewhat rocky rebuild since his departure. After all, the Patriots have won just 42.1% of their games since Brady's departure after winning a whapping 77.4% during Brady's two-decade reign.
"He made all the necessary sacrifices to assist in Bill Belichick winning," Smith insists. "So, when we ask the question should Bill Belichick have regrets, you're damn right."
Fortunately, we'll be able to watch Brady's Bucs go up against Belichick's Patriots on "Sunday Night Football" with many set to draw their final comparisons from the upcoming Week 4 contest.
