Tom Brady returns to Gillette Stadium against Bill Belichick. NBC’s Rodney Harrison, a former Patriots safety, considers Tom versus Bill told Fox, “It’s not about Bill. It’s not about Tom,” Harrison said. “Tom wouldn’t be the player that he is if he didn’t have Bill, and vice versa. Do you think Bill would be the coach that he is if he didn’t have Tom challenging him, questioning him, pushing him? They’re made for each other, and that’s the beauty of it.”

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They were tight and had together won many titles until it all fell apart. 

Their continued success, however, masked the growing friction between them. 

TB12 trainer Alex Guerrero’s presence and growing influence became too much for Belichick and then there was Kraft, who was forcing Belichick to trade Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers for a second-round pick.

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“I told him very respectfully that he can chew me out anytime, but it’s going to be very hard for me to lead these guys if you keep tearing me up in front of everybody and apologising in private,’’ quarterback Bart Starr said.

Russell and Auerbach won 11 NBA titles together.

“He never made any pretensions about treating players the same,” Russell told NBA.com in 2006. “In fact, he treated everybody very differently. Basically, Red treats people as they perceive themselves. What he did best was to create a forum, but one where individuals wouldn’t be confined by the system. And he understood the chemistry of a team.”

“It’s just like Michael Jordan. These guys have to fabricate things in their head to go out and motivate them. They have to take things personal. … And I think that is the case here,” Former Pats receiver Julian Edelman said.

Brady will recognise Belichick — who can’t in that hoodie? — but he won’t recognise all the new Patriots Belichick showered money on in free agency in what conspiracy theorists and even others speculate deliciously as his desperate obsession to even the score. In his desperate obsession to even the score with Brady, Bellichick has been speculated to shower money on new Patriots in free agency. After all, Brady will be returning after 20 seasons. 

While Belichick knows the quarterback deeply, Brady is well aware of the inner workings of Belichick’s mind. So, it is safe to say that the game is highly anticipated. 

“If I’m in that Tampa Bay offensive meeting — and I don’t know if Tom’s going to suggest it — I would go hurry up and make them make their defensive calls on the field,” NBC’s Tony Dungy said. “I know he’s heard every call. He understands what they’re doing. He’s played against that defence for years and years. Then what does New England have to do to try to counteract that?”