Tom Brady Acknowledges 'Natural Tension' With Bill Belichick Led to Patriots Exit

In his newsletter, Brady revealed that diverging career goals and franchise priorities prompted his 2020 move to the Buccaneers after two decades with the Patriots.

Brady confirmed that 'natural tension' with Bill Belichick developed during their 20-year partnership, influencing his decision to leave the Patriots in 2020.
The quarterback described his free agency decision as a 'creeping' process that evolved over two to three years before becoming unavoidable in March 2020.
Brady's choice to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was based on a detailed evaluation of priorities, with Tampa scoring higher across key factors like roster strength and coaching.
He credited skill players like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, along with coach Bruce Arians, as pivotal in his decision to sign with the Buccaneers.
Despite past tensions, Brady and Belichick have reconciled, with Belichick attending Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction and other events in recent years.