Late in the 2017 season, an ESPN report detailed a growing rift inside the Patriots. The article suggested relations between Brady and Belichick had frayed to the point where either man might soon leave the team. A lot of people found the story surprising. I did not. The most remarkable thing about these men isn’t that they clash—it’s how long they’ve managed to keep their egos chained down. When new players came to the Patriots, they often spoke about how unusual the environment was—and in particular, the surprising interactions between Brady and Belichick. At team meetings, the coach liked
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