Patriots fans probably felt some kind of way Sunday night watching “The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady” on Netflix.
It’s been four years since Brady left New England in free agency, kicking off a three-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And it’s been roughly four months since the Patriots parted ways with Bill Belichick, the head coach for New England’s dynastic run that included six Super Bowl titles.
Yet, it took a live, unfiltered roast hosted in Los Angeles by Kevin Hart to finally bring some semblance of closure to a franchise that spent more than two decades as the NFL’s lightning rod.
Some jokes were uncomfortable. And that was the point. Whether it was Brady’s divorce from Gisele Bündchen (and her reported relationship with jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente) or Aaron Hernandez’s murder conviction and subsequent prison suicide, nothing was off-limits as former teammates, celebrities and comedians tore into the greatest quarterback of all time — for the whole world to see.
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One moment that undoubtedly struck a chord with Pats fans, though, came when Hart brought Belichick and Kraft together on-stage for a shot.
Sure, it was awkward. And yes, Kraft already sung Belichick’s praises during a January press conference to announce the longtime coach’s departure. But this — an impromptu toast, under the bright lights, amid a chaotic and unprecedented live event with wall-to-wall star power — felt different.
Maybe now, regardless of whatever feelings truly exist between Belichick and Kraft (and Belichick and Brady, for that matter), everyone finally can turn the page in Foxboro, Mass.
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The Patriots had a monumental offseason, between hiring Jerod Mayo as their next coach and selecting quarterback Drake Maye with their highest draft pick since Kraft became owner. A new era already was in full swing.
Still, there was something cathartic about watching Belichick, Kraft and Brady, among others, take off the gloves Sunday night. Everything’s out in the open — as much as it might ever be, at least — and it’s time to move on.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
