Bill Belichick saw something in Tom Brady before anyone else.
The New England Patriots head coach, in his first draft with the team, selected Tom Brady in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He named him the full-time starter halfway through his second season, just eight months after making Drew Bledsoe the highest paid player in NFL history, and he stood by his side throughout a 20-year journey that brought six Super Bowl titles to New England.
On Wednesday, following Brady’s retirement, Belichick spelled out exactly what Brady meant to him in a statement provided by the Patriots:
I am privileged to have drafted and coached Tom Brady, the ultimate competitor and winner.