The 2020 campaign marked the first NFL season since 1999 when Tom Brady was not in the New England Patriots squad. As the 2020 season ends, Brady finds himself getting ready to compete in his seventh Super Bowl, while the Patriots missed the playoffs.
On Monday, the current Detroit Lions and former Danny Amendola patriots joined “First things first,” and was asked about New England head coach Bill Belichick, getting players to join the “Patriot Way” in the absence of Brady. Amendola did not measure his words and said that it is difficult to push the “Patriot Way” without TB12 on the list because Brady himself embodies the whole idea more than Belichick.
Here’s what Amendola said:
“When you see ‘Patriot’s Way’ in the dictionary, there’s a picture of Tom Brady next to it. None of those coaches took any passes. None of those coaches made any tackles. They put the guys in the right positions because they watched a lot of the film and he spent a lot of time on the premises. Tom Brady is the ‘Patriot Way’. That’s why he’s in the Super Bowl and the Patriots aren’t. “
Amendola clearly believes that Brady was more the reason for the Patriots’ success than Belichick. It is certainly an intriguing debate, as the team won six Super Bowls during Brady’s time in New England.
Amendola spent five seasons with the Patriots from 2013 to 2017 and won two Super Bowls during his time with the franchise. The veteran receiver is definitely familiar with the way Brady and Belichick operate.
In the Patriots’ first year without Brady, the team decided to hire veteran Cam Newton to be the team’s starting quarterback. Newton got off to a solid start, throwing 714 yards and two touchdowns and racing for four touchdowns in the team’s first three games. However, Newton fought down the straight and released just eight touchdowns, being intercepted on 10 occasions.
Amendola is probably not the only one who believes that Brady was the reason for the Patriots dynasty, rather than Belichick being the brain.