"The reality was," wrote Brady, "after twenty years together, a natural tension had developed between where Coach Belichick and I were headed in our careers, and where the Patriots were moving as a franchise. It was the kind of tension that could only be resolved by some kind of split or one of us reassessing our priorities."

In the latest edition of his newsletter, Brady noted that his departure from the Patriots was a “creeping decision” that had been brewing for “2-3 years” before he signed with the Buccaneers.