The chances of a Christmas card exchange between the Belichick and Ryan households took a dramatic hit on Monday after former Jets coach and current ESPN personality Rex Ryan said Belichick’s team “stinks” and that Tom Brady was the only reason he ever won.
The drama unfolded on the Monday morning edition of Get Up as Ryan laid into Belichick for remaining – in Ryan’s view – excessively secretive about whether he would start Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe. A level of secrecy that Ryan apparently feels is unnecessary for a Patriots team that is currently 2-9.
“Can I just say this: Bill Belichick, please stop. Just name your dang starter,” Ryan said. “It doesn’t matter, they both stink. Whether it’s Zappe or Peashooter Jones, we don’t care. They stink. Just go ahead and save the drama. Like we care about your team. Your team stinks.
Ryan continued, “This team plays like they’re exhausted.”
More Rex Ryan on the Patriots: “Tom Brady was the only reason you won anyway. I’m just telling you the difference… I said they would never win again when he trotted down to Tampa.” pic.twitter.com/wLCO5IoarJ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 27, 2023
“And the Patriot Way, that’s it, it exhausts these kids. Tom Brady was the only reason you won anyway, alright? I’m just telling you the difference…I said they would never win again when that guy trotted down to Tampa…because I know how draining it is to those kids.
“And that is what you’re facing right now. You pick all the players, you do all this. Bill Belichick — greatest in history — I will never dispute that, OK? I had my ass kicked by him a million times. But if you think for a minute that it wasn’t about Tom Brady, you’re absolutely crazy.”
It’s a shame that New England’s struggles post-Brady will become the defining feature of Belichick’s incredible and unparalleled coaching career in New England. Of course, Belichick was going to struggle without Brady. But do you know who disagrees with Rex Ryan?
Tom Brady!
Last week, Brady told Stephen A. Smith that the blame for New England’s woes should fall on the players, not Belichick.
“I think he’s an incredible coach,” Brady told SAS. “He’s the best coach, in my belief, in the history of the game.”
Brady continued, “The thought of him not being in New England is hard for me to think about. He prepares the team really well. Ultimately, you got to have a lot of people around you to succeed. You got to have a lot of things in place for the organization to be successful.
“I’m sure he’s preparing the team the same way,” he added. “The results are different. But again, that’s why the sport’s so challenging.”
So, the greatest QB in the history of the game thinks Belichick is the greatest coach ever. Rex Ryan, who had exactly two winning seasons in eight years of coaching, thinks Belichick is a bum.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan shake hands after the AFC divisional round at Gillette Stadium Sunday, January 16, 2011. (Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
Ryan, of course, also did not mention that way before Brady entered the league, Bill Belichick led the defense on two Super Bowl championship teams that were led by their defense. In fact, Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells never went to or won a Super Bowl without Bill Belichick as his defensive coordinator. But that’s fine; I’m sure Ryan thinks Parcells is a bum, too.
Decide who you want to believe.