Insider's Real Talk on Patriots' Culture Makes it Clear Brady and Gronk Left New England to Have Fun

If there was any man who'd be able to bring tight end Rob Gronkowski out of retirement, it was Tom Brady. After a full year of speculation over Gronk returning to football, he decided Tuesday to reunite with TB12 and suit up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, not his former New England Patriots. That presented the big question: why did he refuse to rejoin a 2019 Patriots team that desperately needed his help?

Well, ESPN insider Mike Reiss believes that both Brady and Gronkowski grew tired of head coach Bill Belichick's strict style. In so man ways, they opted to head down to Florida to have some fun.

As Reiss states, Belichick will be the first person to tell you that he's not an easy coach to play for. Yet, players usually tolerate it, because they know playing for him eventually results in a Super Bowl ring. For veteran players who spent countless years in New England, however, Belichick's act may begin to wear thin.

That could likely be said for both Brady and Gronkowski, given their long tenures in Foxborough.

Now, the vaunted quarterback-tight end duo will play for Bruce Arians, who's earned a reputation as a player's coach. "BA" is known for his fun-loving personality, but once it's game day, he demands excellence and pulls no punches. For the first time in years, Brady and Gronk can walk into the team facility with a different kind of energy. The liberating kind.

With the NFL Draft nearly here, Belichick will begin to mold the Patriots in his image at the NFL Draft. He has 12 picks at his disposal, so he can begin instilling the "Patriot Way" into the incoming class of rookies to (hopefully) lead the team down their usual route to glory. But all those headed to New England ought to prepare themselves for business and not pleasure.