Brady vs. Belichick: The Dynasty Debate

by Gary Myers

A unique and unparalleled look into the nature and relationship of two of the pillars in the NFL's greatest dynasty.

The greatest dynasty in NFL history stood on two pillars – Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Together they forged a working relationship that provided thrilling results that would change the NFL forever.

But what was the nature of that relationship? How did it function? How and when did it falter? How did these two figures come together on a national – and global – stage and create the most dominant team in NFL history? Was it driver and passenger? Mentor and mentee? Superstar and mad scientist? Phenom and tactician? Or were they equals? The Yin and Yang that made the New England Patriots championships possible? It is the greatest unanswered question in NFL history that sparks animated debate across the league, and the answer is more complex and more fraught than anyone really understands.

Brady vs. Who deserves the credit for nine Super Bowl appearances and six Super Bowl championships?

Veteran NFL insider and New York Times bestselling author Gary Myers draws on his unique and unparalleled access to Belichick and Brady over the course of the two decades, but also to the myriad players, coaches, personnel and family, to get to the bottom of this argument and resolve it once and for all. He drills into the numbers, analyzes the psychology and sociology of this partnership, and use the powerful wand of perspective and context to illuminate the greatest duo that has ever graced the game.

Genres: Sports, Football, Nonfiction, Audiobook

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Dona's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.5

Pre-Read Notes:

I'm a huge football fan and I've always been amazed by Brady's pure athletic skill. When I saw this was coming out, I requested it from NetGalley!

Final Review

(thoughts & recs) I enjoyed this book and I'm impressed by the amount of information the author has compiled about his topic. I learned a lot about the NFL, Brady's and Belichick's careers, football culture, and more.

This was also the book's primary downfall, unfortunately -- it's not really about the subject implied in the subtitle. I found that it got off topic often and sometimes for significant stretches of the book. I would find myself thinking, "what does this have to do with the Patriots dynasty debate?"

It's more generally about Brady and Belichick, but also the Patriots record, now and in the past, cheating including inflate-gate and recording other teams' sideline calls, etc.

Honestly, it probably doesn't need all this extraneous material, especially not the details that were repeated. A little organization would probably help too. But it's an interesting enough read.

I recommend BRADY VS. BELICHICK to fans of sports books, football, or New England Patriots.

Thank you to Gary Myers, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advance audio arc of BRADY VS. BELICHICK. All views are mine.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being an NFL fan but more importantly a New England Patriots fan, when I saw this sports non fiction book Brady vs. Belichick: The Dynasty Debate was available via NetGalley to request for early reading/reviewing, I knew I had to!

This book covers a fair amount, but at the heart is the never ending debate of who should be credited most with the resounding success in New England: QB Tom Brady or veteran coach Bill Belichick?

If you're an NFL fan, I believe you'd much appreciate this book, but more so if you're a New England Patriots fan :)

Thank you to author Gary Myers & publisher St Martin's Press via NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Expected release date September 16, 2025. All opinions are my own :)

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this eARC!

Growing up in New England I have been a diehard Patriots fan since I can remember. I remember the game Bledsoe went out and Tom Brady went in. The beginning of the great debate of “was is Belichick or Brady”
I wanted to love this book, and I did find some it amazing. There’s some stories I’ve never heard. But I had it for a couple of weeks and I found it hard to pick up. I DNFed it at 66%. Even though I know the story of Brady, I found the writing really hard to follow. It might be just me but it jumped around to much for me to fully enjoy.

[Deanna (she_reads_truth_365) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ultimate sports question and debate…Brady vs. Belichick? “ The quarterback is always more important than the coach.” Some might agree or disagree with this statement. This question and statement is at the heart of the dynasty debate and is addressed in the book.

I love sports, including football and this book did not disappoint. Full of interesting facts and insights about the famous quarterback and coach. I think the author did a fantastic and thorough job of researching and analyzing all the information.

This book is for sport fans, especially football, for coaches, players and parents of athletes. It would also make a perfect gift for the guy in your life, fathers, husbands, boyfriends and brothers that loves sports!

I received a complimentary finished physical copy from publisher St. Martin’s Press. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.

[Jim Razinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve liked Mr. Myers’ football perspectives over the years and just led at the chance to read this when NetGalley offered it. Great access, great storytelling. If you’re a fan, you’ll love this. If you’re a fan of the game (but neither Brady nor Belichick) you should like this. Insights, backstories, front stories - we get the triumphs, the painful losses. Mr. Myers weighs the histories and comes to a conclusion (that I like and agree with, armchair opiner that I am.) He says in his Introduction,
“The politically correct crowd who split it down the middle are concerned more about not pissing off either icon than setting the record straight.
I won't do that.”

Shares some quotes from their colleagues, like Jimmy Garoppolo: “As a young guy in this league, you think you're competitive, but until you start going against some of the greats like that [Brady], you don't even know what competitive is.” (I like how Myers put this: “Brady made it tough for Garoppolo to get on the field. Brady was actually getting better with age, a real-life Benjamin Button.”)

And Rex Ryan, “Ryan believes the Tampa years settle the argument. ‘I think Brady answered every question when he took Tampa to a Super Bowl at 100 years old,’ he said.
‘He [Brady] was so damn good. The other thing is he was the best teammate in the history of the game. He always took way less money than he could have. There was plenty for other guys as well.’"

Lots more than that of course. Bottom line, recommended.

[Danna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes I can really get into a book about some icons, even if I’m not particularly into that icon. Spending the 2000s in New England means I heard a whole lot about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick… I don’t care about the Patriots or football, but the premise of the book intrigued me. Unfortunately, it didn’t land for this non-fan; the story felt repetitive and slow. I’m sure, as evidenced by other reviews, this will be exciting for the right audience. So I’d recommend for Pats’ fans, NFL fans, but probably not for others who are neither.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Booksandchinooks (Laurie)]

This is a very comprehensive book on Tom Brady and Bill Belichick as to who was more pivotal in their overall success in the NFL.NFL and even non football fans know of the amazing accomplishments Brady and Belichick had with the New England Patriots. Six Super Bowls is quite a feat! There are numerous interviews and quotes from football insiders in the book regarding who was more valuable to their success - the coach or the quarterback. This book doesn’t definitively answer this question with various factors to be considered for each side. If you have a preference either way there are so many different angles and theories highlighted that it just may change your mind. One thing is certain - between the two of them they brought some magic and put up amazing stats together. In Brady’s case he gets some extra points for his time in Tampa winning another Super Bowl in his first year. This is a very detailed and well researched book for a football fan and in particular if you are Patriots fan!

[Tammy Tosti · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a lifelong Patriots fan I’ll excited to read any book about my favorite sports team. The Brady vs Belichick debate is not new to me, in fact anyone who followed the duo’s historic run has found themselves in a discussion with someone at some point about who gets credit for much of the team’s success.

This book is going deep into the history of the team, Belichick’s past coaching jobs and how Tom Brady became a Patriot. I really enjoyed the stories and quotes from former players and coaches but found I was skimming the intensely detailed stats. Because of this the book could have been a chapter or two shorter in my opinion, but it is a book that will be enjoyed by all Pats fans.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What’s a lady from Wisconsin, home of the 13-time world champion Green Bay Packers doing reading a book about the New England Patriots? Growing up in an NFL city, I’ve always been interested in the sport of American football. There’s no denying that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are two of the most successful partners in the league’s history.

Brady vs.Belichick compares each man’s contributions to the team and tries to figure out who was more responsible for the dynasty. The book goes through the men’s life leading up to their joining the Patriots. There are anedotal stories, statistics, and occasional play-by-play discussion of certain games.

The problem is that this long-winded book could use a bit of editing. Tidbits are repeated and recycled to the point of beating the reader over the head. The writing style was also quite dry to me, despite my interest in the sport. There’s a great deal of minutiae regarding Brady and Belichick and other people in the Patriots’ organization that could have been left out without compromising the premise of the book. Patriots’ fans might find all this interesting, but even they might think it is too much. For diehard fans only.

[BloggingBooks& Banter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost never review biographies, but every once in a while one comes along that I can’t resist and as a die-hard NFL fan (go Jaguars 🐆), this was that book. An insider deep-dive into one of football’s most talked-about debates, Brady vs. Belichick, was too tempting to pass up. Long awaited, full of behind-the-scenes insight, and absolutely worth the read. 🏈📚

For years, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady were inseparable in the NFL’s collective imagination: the stoic mastermind and the unflappable quarterback powering the Patriots to six Super Bowls. But once Brady left for Tampa Bay and won a championship in his first year without Belichick, the whispers turned into shouts. Was it Brady all along? Belichick’s post-Brady struggles only added fuel to the fire, sparking one of football’s most enduring debates. Was the dynasty built on the coach’s system, or was it the quarterback’s greatness that made it legendary?

This sports biography does just that. It gives you the information you need to make an executive decision. Gary, you have gained a fan and bravo to you. I was hooked every chapter. I have my answer. Anyone else?

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New England Patriots are the most recent example of a sports dynasty, having won six Super Bowls in 18 seasons between 2002 and 2019. They had the same quarterback and head coach for all of those championships, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick respectively. Most football fans have an opinion on who was more responsible of these two for the Patriots’ success and this book by noted pro football author Gary Myers is his attempt to settle the debate.

One of the best aspects of the book for me came right at the very beginning. Myers made it clear that his opinions were formed only for the time the two men were with the Patriots. Therefore, the Super Bowl that Brady won with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t factor into his beliefs, nor did Belichick’s five years of coaching the Cleveland Browns before joining New England. That made this a true discussion on who was more important to the team during their time together.

Myers covered the Patriots a lot during this stretch so he was privy to a lot of information on the Patriots that many others would not have. This made some of the topics covered quite interesting even if a reader thought they already knew plenty about the two men and the team. The two scandals involving the Patriots, “Deflategate” and “Spygate” are great examples of the extensive coverage Myers did. It shouldn’t go unnoticed that Belichick was judged far more harshly by fans, the press and his peers for spying on other teams’ defensive signals than Brady was for allegedly deflating football below specifications before an AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

While the events are not covered in strict chronological order, it still is an easy book to follow if one is a football fan, especially a Patriots fan. The time both men spent in New Englad tigers leaves nothing unturned and owner Robert Kraft also plays a prominent role in the book. By the end, after all is said and done, Myers does pick one of them to be more important to the Patriots dynasty and his reasoning is sound. Of course, this review won’t give that away, but no matter which side a reader takes on this debate, they will come away well informed about the team and the two key men of that dynasty.

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...

[Tanner Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brady vs Belichick, who contributed more to the New England Patriots historical twenty year run beginning in the early 2000’s?  This is a debate that has been raging on since the two parted ways in 2020.  Some people say thanks to the strong coaching and personnel brought to the table by head coach Bill Belichick, it allowed Brady to grow into his role.  Others say that without the strong and steady play of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick is just a good to great coach, not one of the greatest of all time. That is the focus of this captivating book written by Gary Myers, who penned other fascinating reads such as Once a Giant and Brady vs Manning.
 
Myers does a fantastic job of building this story up to the answer everyone has been searching for, Brady or Belichick?  His intro detailing the stories of how we arrived at the legendary pairing of Brady and Belichick.  He touches on Bill’s coaching career before the Patriots and Tom’s college career at Michigan, leading into the draft where he was taken with 199thpick in the 2000 NFL draft. He speaks on the very circumstances that allowed Brady to get the opportunity to prove himself as a starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. 
 
Gary Myers gives you just enough information to begin to form your own opinions about who really was responsible for the dynasty of the New England Patriots using interviews from former teammates, coaches, and opponents.  He does such a great job at allowing the story to flow in a manner that leaves you wanting to keep going throughout the book.  The manner with which he supplies you with unbiased facts and stories keep the story neutral for both sides throughout the entire story. 
 
I highly recommend this book to any sports fans.  It is a captivating book that is a great read solo or even lends itself to as a conversation piece amongst friends or classmates in a discussion setting.  I won’t spoil how it ends, but I will say, it will keep you motivated to finish it in a timely manner, as once you start, it is tough to put down.  Special thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest and fair opinion. 

[P.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gary Myers analyzes the question of whether the Patriots owe their decades long success to Belichick or Brady. He looks at their individual histories, their time together on the Patriots, and their time apart when Brady played for the Bucs and Belichick remained with the Pats. He shares stories from players, coaches, and family members. He evaluates the numbers and comes to a conclusion - whether or not you agree is up to you.

As a die-hard Pats fan, I was hoping for a fresh perspective with previously unheard stories. That wasn't what I got. I had heard the majority of the stories and felt that the book tended to be a bit repetitive and heavy on stats, which isn't very entertaining to read. The chapters were long and tended to jump around on the timeline of the men's careers; I would have preferred a more chronological order. That said, I did really enjoy reliving the Pats' championship times. I also greatly appreciated that he referenced the Apple series The Dynasty and acknowledged the anti-Belichick bias (several players came out and spoke about this after it aired). I also respected that he noted that Brady winning another Super Bowl with the Bucs doesn't automatically give him the win - he took all of the knowledge he got from Belichick with him. Although this wasn't really addressed, he also chose a team that could pay for good players to surround him while the Pats didn't have the luxury of having a lot of spending money available until recently (which they didn't use last season WITHOUT Belichick so that brings up questions about others playing a role in the relationship). Overall, I enjoyed it and if you aren't very familiar with the 20 years Brady and Belichick spent together, it would be much more interesting to you, especially if you like statistics.

Thanks to NetGalley, Gary Myers, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brady vs Belichick attempts t0 answer the question of who ment more to the New England Patriots Dynasty, Quarterback Tom Brady or Head Coach Bill Belichick. This dynasty had it all, winning, scandals, injuries, Hall of Fame Players and Coaches, and more. Mr. Myers covers the complete timeline of the New England Dynasty with special attention to the Super Bowl seasons assigning credit to either Brady or Belichick. In the end he comes to a decision and answers the question.

I enjoyed this book, although there were a couple of things I thought could have been better. Mr. Myers does an excellent job retelling the tale of the dynasty with first hand knowledge and a depth of interviews over the years to drawn on. He makes clear arguments for each side before coming to his conclusion. The one thing that I would have changed in the book is the timeline. Mr. Myers tends to jump around going from early in the dynasty to late in the dynasty rathering than keeping everything in order. I didn’t feel this added anything to the arguments or the story and would have preferred for it to be told in chronological order.

This is a worthwhile read for any football fan whether you are a fan of the New England Patriots or not. This is arguably the best dynasty in the history of the NFL, and Mr. Myers does an excellent job telling their story. Thank you to Netgalley, Gary Myers, and MacMillan Audio for a free advanced copy for an honest review.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a not a fan of football because every time that I tried to watch someone was carried off the field in a stretcher. I have tried three times, always the player was unconscious. But received an Advance Review copy of this book in error from the publisher. So I decided to go ahead and read it. To me, it was enjoyable because the author focused on the personalities of the Tom Brady, famed quarterback and Belichick, NFL and college football couch.

Not knowing very much about football, I did learned some important details of the game, its history and as the author described them, the supporting cast. I admit there were times that I got lost when so many characters were mentioned. But the most interesting part was how Belichick and Brady did and didn't get along. Also, I learned that football players definitely cry!

Belichick knows the game of football well, strategy, how to spot potential in future picks and he was also very unconventional, he pretty much snubbed the press.

Brady is retired now after many years of wins, some not good years but he had to be discovered and used in the game. Belichick did that, he noticed early that Brady had potential, he did not realize how much potential and he knew the players who win the game.

Read the book, even if you know nothing about football before.

[Andrew Langert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this fine book through NetGalley.

While this book’s title suggests it will be a full-length debate about whether Tom Brady or Bill Belichick was more important to the New England Patriots football dynasty, it is actually a quite comprehensive review of each’s professional accomplishments. If one is expecting any kind of expose of either man’s personal life, don’t look here.

The author covers Belichick’s career before New England, when he built up his credentials as a defensive wizard, but was also saddled with being the head coach of the hapless Cleveland Browns for five years. Brady’s career at the University of Michigan gets light coverage, but his winning a 7th Super Bowl with Tampa Bay is highlighted and often used as proof the Brady was more important to the Patriots than Belichick. Brady was able to win without Belichick, but Belichick struggled mightily after Brady’s exit from New England.

I enjoyed the book. It does get a little dry. Lots of facts, lots of details from the biggest games. But the stories the author got from players and coaches who worked with or played for or against New England greatly enhanced this book’s quality.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I’m not a Patriots fan or overly fond of either Brady or Belichick, I think both have made a huge impact on football and was interested in what the book would decide about which part of the dynasty deserves more credit for their success. I enjoyed the interviews from players and coaches, but found the detailed statistics to be a bit too in the weeds. There were also some repetitive aspects that made the book feel longer than it was, especially on audio listening to long stats analysis and charts read out. I preferred the book to the audiobook for this reason. And while it does give a comprehensive analysis of the two, there is no actual answer to the debate, more of a here are a ton of facts for you to decide on your own. It’s an interesting book, but might be better for someone who loves analytics and data, or is a huge Patriots fan.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband has been a fan of the Patriots since he was young. I have watched tons of games. So, I jumped at the chance to read this.

I honestly felt this was a bit one sided. Everything was Belechick’s fault. These two guys could not have done what they did without each other. Both are super smart and talented so that always comes with egos. Do I know what went on behind the scenes? No, I do not. But I do know no body is perfect. And it takes two to tango.

I was also not a big fan of this author’s writing style. Just because this is a sports biography, you don’t need a lot of sports metaphors.

Now that all of that is out of the way, this is very well researched and full of interesting tidbits. And the narrator, Jonathan Todd Ross, is a pro!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[LaShanda Chamberlain · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge NFL fan, I found *Brady vs. Belichick* by Gary Myers to be a captivating and balanced look at one of football’s biggest debates: who was more essential to the Patriots’ 20-year dynasty—Tom Brady or Bill Belichick? Much like the ongoing basketball debate over the GOAT—Jordan or today’s stars—this book fuels the NFL conversation with thoughtful insight. Although I often rooted against Brady when he played, this book changed my perspective by offering a drama-free, deep dive into both men’s careers, filled with behind-the-scenes stories and revealing interviews. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just enjoy a great sports rivalry, I highly recommend this book—it gave me a fresh appreciation for both legends and kept me hooked from start to finish.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this powerful book!

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a big football fan, but Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are legends, so when I was offered to read Brady vs. Belichick. I wanted to read it. After reading the book I can understand, with all their accomplishments, why it is hard to decided who was better. The story sticks to the football, and it is an inside look at the two men. The book has facts, stories about them, and some of them the emotions came through. For me, the book, showed me who they were at the beginning and how they became a legend. It was amazing to see how the transformation.
I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.

[Beleisha Bernhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book dives into the connection between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. How they worked together and into each of their pasts and how they both arrived in New England to become a unstoppable dynasty (I am not a Patriots fan, so that pains me to write).

I liked learning so much about each person individually and then what their relationship worked like.

If you are sports fan and like learning more about those involved beyond just what you see on the field, you will definitely like this book. The narrator does a great job with the reading.

Thank you Netgalley, Gary Myers, and Macmillian Audio for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Becky Rosas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. It was tremendous -like drinking from a fire hose in terms of the wealth and depth and insight into Tom Brady the GOAT and Bill Belicheck, his amazing coach. The author breaks it down and gives an amazing amount of insight into players I have followed through their careers. This could be a Ken Burns documentary it’s that good.how each of them interacted with so many people in their careers makes this book amazing. Only one criticism is that I had expected more about Rob Gronkowski. I am guessing not much there. A great read, nevertheless.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a good read for fellow NFL fans. If you've followed the Patriots and Brady/Belichick then this novel will feel familiar because nothing is truly groundbreaking, but the nostaligia is amazing. It's provides a good look into the most impactful partnership in the NFL and also behind-the-scenes views of it. I will say that I thought Brady v. Manning was a better book just because of the drama attempt to define who is the better QB, whereas this was more of a review of the relationship.

[Bookloverinhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a looong time Niners fan, but I sure can recognize great talent. And Tom Brady is THE GOAT.

I’ve often had the debate about Brady vs Belichik. And I firmly believed it was all Brady when he moved to the Bucs and won a Super Bowl.

But, this book really makes the case for both Coach and Quarterback. Totally loved it!

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #BradyvsBelichik in exchange for an honest review. Thank you @MacmillanAudio for approving my request.

[Javierthearcnovice · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost I received an arc from NetGalley. Thank you!

Brady vs Belichick is perfect for any fans of the Patriots. It’s filled with nostalgia and some great behind the scenes moments that I had no idea happened. The writing style is excellent and very easy to follow. Grad a copy and take a trip down memory lane.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The angle is: does Brady or Belichick deserve more credit for the Patriots’ dynasty? Both men’s careers are recounted with key figures - Rex Ryan, for example, or Bill Parcells - picking one man over the other. Myers is as readable as ever, though there isn't enough here to change my mind about the definitive book on the dynasty being Seth Wickersham’s It’s Better to be Feared.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is more focused on the game aspect of the relationship. I don't feel I walked away knowing either man any better. I will say I'm not big into football, but I do watch the Chiefs. There were times that a few Chiefs coaches or players had been mentioned, but all more game stuff.

How did this book find me? It was an Audible suggestion and I found it on CloudLibrary.

[Lawrence Grey · Rating 1 out of 5]

All you need to know is on the first page when Myers states he is from New York and the constant jealousy is obvious and clear!! This book is a money grab as there isn’t one bit of new information and Myers dislike of Belicheck cones through loud and constant! I wouldn’t waste my time reading this trash and luckily for me it was free from the local public library!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is a misnomer. From the outset, Myers has decided Brady wins. It's a pretty one-sided story. I was honestly hoping for some more details of each season. A lot is glossed over including the super bowls strangely enough. The one that gets a lot of time is 2007 when the Giants kept the Patriots from having the 2nd undefeated season in NFL history. (I'm a Giants fan and currently the good old days is all we have.) What I was expecting was a season by season guide of Brady and Belichick's history together. What I got were cursory examinations of the Super Bowls and controversies in Spygate and Deflategate. A whole decade is skipped over in the middle when they didn't make it all the way back to the Super Bowl. I guess I was just expecting a more detailed examination of their relationship and what I got was the highlights reel.

[John Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some new info but the authors political leanings come out in a chapter about Trump which was not related to whether or not it was Brady or Belichek