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Tom Brady announced with lengthy statements posted to Twitter and Instagram that he will be leaving the New England Patriots when he becomes a free agent for the first time in his 20-year NFL career:
The Pats followed suit by releasing statements from owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick:
New England Patriots @PatriotsStatements from #Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft and Head Coach Bill Belichick on Tom Brady's Patriots career: https://t.co/DFmmbzAIdo https://t.co/flVpDFB4HJ
"Sometimes in life, it takes some time to pass before truly appreciating something or someone but that has not been the case with Tom," Belichick said at the end of his statement.