Bill Belichick does not seem like the type of guy who would go out of his way to give birthday presents, especially on a work day. But with four-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady turning 41 on Friday, it appears Belichick was feeling quite generous.
Several Patriots reporters noticed on Friday that Brady was watching veteran backup Brian Hoyer and rookie Danny Etling take part in most drills. The birthday boy simply watched from the sideline throughout the majority of practice, and it seems like that was Belichick’s way of giving him a gift.
Tom Brady gets a lightened workload for his 41st birthday, as he didn’t work in 11-on-11 drills, giving way to Brian Hoyer and Danny Etling. Lots of situations in practice, with music blaring. Cordarrelle Patterson caps it off with 1-handed TD catch from Hoyer.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 3, 2018
For his 41st birthday, Tom Brady received the day off from Bill Belichick. He was basically a spectator today.
— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) August 3, 2018
In past years, that probably would not be significant. However, it could give a small glimpse into the current state of the Belichick-Brady relationship. There have been numerous reports about tension between the two, and there is likely some truth behind them. That hasn’t stopped Brady from saying some very nice things about his longtime coach, and Belichick giving Brady a day off for his 41st birthday certainly indicates there is no deep-seeded hatred between the two.
