Details of How Tom Brady's Relationship With Bill Belichick and Patriots Dissolved Revealed

Playing for a thrifty, deadpan, gruff coach like Bill Belichick and for an organization like the New England Patriots isn't for everyone, and even Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady was started to feel disillusioned after two decades as the man in Foxborough.

ESPN's Seth Wickersham wrote an expose that details exactly what led to Brady decided to skip town, and he points the finger firmly at his fractured relationship with Belichick.

Wickersham makes mention of a "blow up" late during the 2017-18 season that started the downward trend in the relationship between Brady and Belichick, and notes that Belichick's grandstanding and total lack of defense of his quarterback during Deflategate were also sticking points. He also points out the fact that after the Patriots lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII despite putting up 613 yards of offense without punting, Brady barely looked at his coach during the post-game meeting.

Brady also seemed to be a little bit sick of the "Patriot Way" culture instituted by Belichick. When you pair that with the fact that he and his father both seemed to have a sneaking suspicion that Belichick was willing to dump him at any moment for an equal quarterback on a cheaper deal, his departure makes more sense than it initially did.

Little things like referring to himself as an "employee" of the Patriots and selling his Massachusetts home seemed to be innocuous at the time, but the tea leaf readers were proven correct, as they were signs Brady was planning a New England exit.

While Brady didn't land in San Francisco, his dream destination, he found a pretty solid spot for 2020 and beyond in Tampa Bay. There is no denying Brady and Belichick made wonderful music over the last 20 years, but a change was needed.