The cracks in Tom Brady’s and Bill Belichick’s two-decades-long partnership had been splintering long before the quarterback left the Patriots in free agency. When reflecting on the developments of this year’s NFL free agency in his 199 newsletter,

Tom Brady, who played under Bill Belichick during his two decades as quarterback of the New England Patriots, addressed the “natural tension” with the NFL coach that played a factor in his departure.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reveals how he heard Bill Belichick could have kept longtime QB Tom Brady with the Patriots for his entire career