Bill Belichick repeats take about Tom Brady leaving Patriots in 2020

Back in September 2025, it was learned that legendary head coach Bill Belichick believed quarterback Tom Brady "absolutely made the right decision" to leave the New England Patriots and sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2019 season because the Patriots "could not put a good team around" Brady. 

During a recent appearance on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" program, Belichick expanded on that take. 

Bill Belichick understands why Tom Brady left the Patriots in 2020

"Tom leaving was absolutely the right thing for him to do," Belichick explained, per Conor Ryan of Boston.com. "We didn't have a good team in 2020. We just didn't have a good football team. We had all those guys that left -- [tight end Rob Gronkowski] and [wide receiver Julian Edelman]. Most of our team was gone. [Defensive back Devin McCourty] and a few others were still there, but they were about to go too. We were just at the end."

Brady decided after the 2019 season that he "wasn’t going to sign up for more of" putting up with Belichick's "cranky" ways before the signal-caller signed with Tampa Bay. While the 2020 Patriots missed the playoffs, Brady earned the seventh Super Bowl ring of his Hall of Fame career in his first season with the Buccaneers.

"And honestly," Belichick told Hannity, "I was happy for him that things worked out well for him in Tampa, because he was with a team ... and then he went on and won. That made me happy for him, because Tom -- it wouldn't have gone well in 2020 in New England. On this, I can guarantee that."

Bill Belichick has one wish for how Tom Brady's New England tenure ended

In February 2019, Brady and Belichick guided the Patriots to the sixth Super Bowl title of the club's dynastic run. The following January, New England suffered a 20-13 wild-card playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans in what became Brady's final game as the Patriots' QB1.

"I wish we could have done more, but we went as far as we could," Belichick added about the end of the Patriots dynasty. "And look, [Brady] proved it -- he played longer than anybody, played at a higher level than anybody. And again, tremendous credit to him. Nobody else did that -- that was him."

Brady and Belichick are again on speaking terms six years after the breakup heard around the football world was made official. If nothing else, Belichick's latest media tour is serving as yet another reminder that he and Brady will forever be linked with each other.