Bill Belichick: 'No QB I'd Rather Have Playing for My Team Than Tom Brady'

With their relationship becoming a storyline during the postseason, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reiterated Thursday he couldn't imagine wanting to work with a quarterback other than Tom Brady.

Patriots Wire's Henry McKenna shared Belichick's comment during a press conference ahead of Super Bowl LII on Sunday:

Belichick and Brady have achieved a lot together. The Patriots could potentially win their sixth Super Bowl title since Brady became the starter in 2001, and during that time, there was little evidence indicating any problems behind the scenes.

ESPN The Magazine's Seth Wickersham detailed in January, however, how Brady and Belichick's relationship had grown somewhat fractious.

According to Wickersham, Brady has grown more frustrated with Belichick's criticism of him. Things began going south after the coach called out Brady's performance in New England's AFC Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans last year. Brady finished 18-of-38 for 287 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

"Belichick lit into him in front of the entire team in a way nobody had ever seen, ripping Brady for carelessness with the ball," Wickersham wrote.

Wickersham also reported Belichick was upset with team owner Robert Kraft, who had pushed for the team to trade Jimmy Garoppolo. Wickersham wrote Brady "seemed liberated" after Garoppolo's trade to the San Francisco 49ers, with one team staff member saying Brady "won." 

Shortly after Wickersham's report, Brady denied he celebrated Garoppolo's departure.

With the Super Bowl days away, Belichick obviously has every reason to praise his starting quarterback. In the months ahead, the Patriots' offseason maneuvering could shine more light on the true dynamic between two of the team's most important figures.