A power struggle among New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and owner Robert Kraft threatens to end a relationship that helped the franchise win five Super Bowls over the last 17 years, according to an ESPN report.
The ESPN article, written by Seth Wickersham, describes that a contentious relationship has grown to a point that it could derail what has grown into a football dynasty.
Tom Brady. Photo: Photosport
The Patriots issued a joint statement from Kraft, Belichick and Brady morning in response to the ESPN article.
"For the past 18 years, the three of us have enjoyed a very good and productive working relationship," the statement said. "In recent days, there have been multiple media reports that have speculated theories that are unsubstantiated, highly exaggerated or flat out inaccurate. The three of us share a common goal. We look forward to the enormous challenge of competing in the postseason and the opportunity to work together in the future, just as we have for the past 18 years. It is unfortunate that there is even a need for us to respond to these fallacies. As our actions have shown, we stand united."
In one claim, the ESPN report said Belichick was ordered to trade backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo -- who went to the San Francisco 49ers in October -- because of Brady's desire to continue playing well into his 40s. Belichick was "furious and demoralized" but reached out to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan to initiate trade talks.
Additional friction developed when Brady's trainer, body coach and business partner Alex Guerrero lost his all-access pass at the Patriots' headquarters as ordered by Belichick. Guerrero helped Brady promote a training method both in his new book, "The TB12 Method," and within the team.
The training method has a controversial philosophy on injury-recovery mindset with so many rules that one unnamed Patriots staffer told ESPN it "felt like a cult" to others.
People close to Brady were suspicious of Guerrero, according to the report.
"Tom changed," says a friend of Brady's. "That's where a lot of these problems started."
Belichick confronted Brady in early September about pressure that players were feeling by Guerrero to train at his TB12 clinic instead of with the team. There was no resolution to the meeting, ESPN reported.
In another claim in the report, Kraft privately told confidants that he went too far in his attacks against the NFL during the Deflategate scandal that led to Brady's four-game suspension. Kraft said he was forced to support Brady "for the fans," according to the report.
Don Yee, the agent for both Brady and Garoppolo, issued a statement regarding the ESPN story.
"I don't really know what to say; it's tough to have a response since it didn't appear to me to have one on-the-record quote. All I can suggest is don't believe everything you read," Yee said.
The Patriots practiced the last two days in preparation for an AFC divisional-round playoff game on Saturday, January 13th when they host either the Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans or Buffalo Bills. New England players are off the next few days and there is no scheduled media access with players or coaches until Monday.
-Reuters
