Report: The Tom Brady Endgame Clashes With Bill Belichick’s Football Philosophy

Scott Pioli attended Rodney Harrison’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction. After the official ceremony, Pioli talked about the plans he and head coach Bill Belichick had about the team. Pioli also said that Belichick had big dreams about the organization.

“I remember Bill’s admiration for Coach [Bill] Walsh (the legendary 49ers coach),” said Pioli. “(Belichick) said, ‘At some point, I want to create something that is truly great, and the measure of true greatness is something that lasts. It’s not just winning a championship. It’s something that lasts and lives beyond you.’ The level of greatness, and the way this organization has continued to evolve through some difficult times, through the change of the rest of the league, is really pretty amazing.”

These two created a magnificent thing. The squad was much better than the Niners coached by Walsh, George Seifert and Steve Mariucci from 1981 to 1998. They brought a new standard of football success with a dynasty that enters its 20th season despite the changes the NFL enacted since Walsh first started working with in San Francisco in 1978.

Walsh didn’t worry about losing players to free agency and salary caps. Belichick had a lot of worries of this kind. But, Belichick is able to evaluate, forecast and plan, and he helped the Patriots become this powerful.

The Tom Brady endgame is really great. For the head coach, the idea of handing on too long at the greatest spot on the field goes straight in the face of his football philosophy.

It has nothing to do with sentimentality.

Brady is a constant figure. His performance and preparation are impeccable, and Belichick had an excellent ground for his team.

Brady can become a free agent in March if the contract thing gets too messy. Belichick is used to moving on from players before they are more expensive than their worth.

If you go through Brady’s contracts, you will find a quote from owner Robert Kraft after the quarterback inked a contract extension in 2013.

“I was just trying to stay ahead of the curve,” said Kraft. “If we were going to have to pay him elite-quarterback money and have elite-quarterback cap numbers, I just didn’t think we would be able to build a team. We don’t want to have a team where we’re paying 18 to 20 percent to a player on the cap.

“I wanted to do something elegant that would work for everybody. I had been talking to him off and on for maybe 18 months, about how I wanted him to finish his career here, and about how we both have to be smart about it. I just really want him to end his career a Patriot.”

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