Kim Klement/USA Today Sports

Belichick Spent $5,000 to Save Brady-Antonio Brown Bond

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Tristan Afshar | Last updated May 18, 2025 4:33 PM ET

Bill Belichick may be known for his stone-faced discipline, but even the toughest NFL minds have their soft spots — especially when it comes to the delicate dynamics between superstars. On a recent episode of "The Pivot" podcast, Belichick shared an eyebrow-raising anecdote involving Tom Brady, Antonio Brown and a highly specific kind of milk.

At the time, Brown had just joined the New England Patriots and was staying at Brady’s house as the GOAT tried to help him settle in. But Belichick recalled that Brown, wanting to impress Brady and cater to his famously strict diet, ordered a special kind of milk — to the tune of $5,000.

Unfortunately, the delivery didn’t go as planned.

The milk ended up stuck in the team mailroom too long and spoiled. That’s when Belichick stepped in.

A $5,000 decision with long-term team chemistry on the line

“To make a long story short,” Belichick said, “I didn’t want to ruin the relationship between Brown and Brady on this spoiled milk, so I spent $5,000 to replace this milk.”

The expense report might’ve raised some eyebrows in the front office, but for Belichick, preserving chemistry between a quarterback and his new star receiver was more valuable than the price tag.

Bill Belichick spent $5,000 on milk to avoid ruining Tom Brady and Antonio Brown’s relationship. pic.twitter.com/byuOwCkgM9
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) May 17, 2025

“I mean, sometimes you just gotta do the right thing,” he added, chuckling about the unique situation.

Brown only lasted 11 days on the team, but for Belichick, it was one more example of how managing personalities sometimes takes more than playbooks and press conferences — sometimes, it takes milk.

Brady and Brown famously reunited in the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their playing partnership ended on Jan. 2, 2022, when a disgruntled Brown walked off the field in the middle of a game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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