Tom Brady Responds to Bill Belichick Saying He'll 'Always Be a Patriot' After Split

Bill Belichick said that he'll always be a New England Patriot after news broke that he mutually parted ways with his now former team after 24 seasons.

Seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady, who played for Belichick for 20 of those campaigns, reacted to that remark on Instagram.

Brady and Belichick won nine AFC titles and six Super Bowls together from 2001-2019, marking the entirety of the quarterback's starting tenure. Brady then left the Pats for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency in 2020 and won another Super Bowl with the Bucs.

As has been oft-reported, the split between Brady and Belichick wasn't exactly amicable. ESPN's Ian O'Connor notably wrote in his book Belichick that Brady sought a "divorce" from his long-time head coach.

However, that doesn't erase the two decades of success that they achieved together in New England, so it's clear why Brady reacted the way he did to Belichick's remarks.

Brady and the Pats have clearly patched things up, with the quarterback being welcomed back for the team's season opener this year. He called himself a "Patriot for life" during a halftime ceremony in his honor. Owner Robert Kraft also said Brady will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2024.

As for Belichick, it's clear he's leaving on good terms as well:

For now, though, it's time for Belichick to move on.