New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick just released a heartfelt message for his longtime playerTom Brady.
The 69-year-oldissued a statementreflecting on the time he spent working with Brady after the iconic football star announced hisretirement from the NFLearlier this week.
“I am privileged to have drafted and coachedTom Brady, the ultimate competitor, and winner,” Belichick said.
“Tom’s humble beginning in professional football ultimately ended with him becoming the best player in NFL history,” said Belichick. “Tom consistently performed at the highest level against competition that always made him the number one player to stop. His pursuit of excellence was inspirational. Tom was professional on and off the field, and carried himself with class, integrity and kindness. I thank Tom for his relentless pursuit of excellence and positive impact on me and the New England Patriots for 20 years.”
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In a message posted on Instagram Tuesday, Brady confirmed his retirement after reports first started surfacing over the weekend.
“I’ve done a lot of reflecting this past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes,” Brady wrote.
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Brady later added that “the future is exciting” while admitting he doesn’t know “exactly what my days will look like” but wants to “enrich other people’s lives.”
Brady responded to Belichick’s statement on hisInstagram StoryWednesday, where he posted a photo of the message from the Patriots' Instagram account.
He called Belichick “the greatest coach in NFL history” in the message.
source: people.com
