Amid rumors of rift between New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and multiple players, The Hoodie spoke to reporters and once again emphasized that he and Tom Brady are on good terms.
“I’ve always had a good relationship with Tom,” Belichick told reporters at Patriots minicamp, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, who also didn't seem worried when asked if the players were "all in" for the upcoming season.
In January, ESPN's Seth Wickersham published a shocking report that detailed tension between Belichick, Brady and owner Robert Kraft. The report suggested that Brady was growing tired of Belichick's tight ship - and that the latter wanted to roll with Jimmy Garoppolo as the team's starting quarterback.
Brady reportedly went to Kraft and requested that he force Belichick to trade Garoppolo. And at the 2017 trade deadline, he was shipped to the San Francisco 49ers for merely a second round pick - well below market value.
Other reports emerged that tight end Rob Gronkowski was tired of Belichick and the 'Patriot Way'. He teased retirement during the offseason, but 'Gronk' ultimately announced that he'd be playing in 2018.
Danny Amendola, Cassius Marsh and Malcolm Butler - who all played for the Patriots in 2017 but have since departed - all criticized Belichick and the no-fun way in Foxborough. Amendola went as far as to calling him an expletive term. Butler was infamously benched in Super Bowl 51 for reasons unknown, which ended a storied four-year tenure with the Pats.
Judging by what former Patriots players have said, it certainly seems like many have grown tired of The Patriot Way, even if it means annual trips to the AFC Championship Game plus Super Bowl trophies.
Whatever drama there was in 2017 didn't prove to be a distraction, as the Patriots came close to winning their third Super Bowl in four years. But with Brady turning 41 in August and Belichick now 66, you do wonder if the greatest dynasty of the 21st century is slowly coming to an end.
It doesn't help that many Patriots players are growing tired of Belichick's ways.