Tom Brady's exit from the New England Patriots in 2020 sent shockwaves through the NFL and drastically altered the future of multiple franchises. After leading the Patriots to six championships, it seemed unthinkable that Brady would leave the team. As Brady revealed Monday, however, his departure from New England was actually inevitable.
In his newsletter, Brady admitted he left the team after a "natural tension" developed with head coach Bill Belichick. Brady said that tension was building for a few years, and it became clear a split was necessary.
"For me, it was a creeping decision that lived passively in the back of mind for 2-3 years until March of 2020 when a whirlwind of a few days made me realize that a decision was coming sooner rather than later.