Bill Belichick has always made it a point of emphasis to focus on what lies ahead of him rather than dwelling on the past, but it comes as no surprise that he is taking a different approach with questions about Tom Brady’s future in New England.
Belichick spoke with the media on Sunday for his end-of-season press conference, and he was asked several questions about whether or not Brady will be back with the Patriots in 2020. He noted that it had only been 12 hours since the team lost to the Tennessee Titans and said no one is thinking about the future yet. Belichick also would not say whether he plans to coach next season.
“We’re less than 12 hours from the end of the game. I’m sure there are a lot of questions about the future. No one has thought about the future…Whatever’s in the future we’ll deal with it at some later point in time.” – Bill Belichick just now pic.twitter.com/AX9xbMpefN
— Nora Princiotti (@NoraPrinciotti) January 5, 2020
Will you be back next year?
Bill Belichick: All future questions are the future
— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) January 5, 2020
Brady is set to become a free agent in March, while there has been no indication that Belichick is contemplating retirement. For what it’s worth, Belichick praised Brady for all he has done for the Patriots. He also noted that contract negotiations are “not a one-way street.”
"Tom is an iconic figure in this organization. No one respects Tom more than I do…" – Belichick when pressed about Brady's status because of the QB's 20 years in the organization. #Patriots
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) January 5, 2020
The thought of Brady in another uniform still seems farfetched, but he said after Saturday’s game that it is “unlikely” he will retire. It’s not impossible to imagine a scenario where he wants a multiyear deal and the Patriots don’t want to commit to a 43-year-old quarterback.
All of the reactions we saw on social media show what the general public thinks of New England’s early postseason exit, but no one should be surprised if the Patriots re-tool and bring Brady back for another season with more help. If they do that, they’d still be one of the favorites in the AFC.
