Sports
Patriots owner Robert Kraft reveals how Tom Brady broke the news of his departure from team
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were at the helm of the New England Patriots’ two-decade run of NFL dominance, and hoisted six Vince Lombardi Trophies during their time together.
But the coach and now-retired quarterback’s relationship is often brought up during conversations about the Patriots dynasty. Brady was famously drafted in the sixth round in 2000 and went on to spend 20 seasons in New England. He left after the 2019 season and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won another Super Bowl.
Belichick was an assistant coach with the Patriots during the 1996 season and returned to New England as the franchise’s head coach in the same year Brady was drafted.
Despite spending so many years together and reaching unprecedented levels of success, by all accounts the working relationship between Brady and Belichick was straightforwardly transactional. But longtime team owner Robert Kraft recently gave his account of how the relationship ultimately transpired.
Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady celebrate with the Lamar Hunt Trophy after winning the AFC championship game at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 22, 2017, in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Getty Images)
During a recent appearance on the nationally syndicated radio program, “The Breakfast Club,” Kraft recalled the moment Brady told him about his decision to leave New England.
PATRIOTS’ ROBERT KRAFT SAYS JABRILL PEPPERS IS ‘GONE’ IF DISTURBING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE
“I’ll never forget… I believe it was in the month of March (2020). He lived down the street from me. (Brady) came to my house and I opened the door. He started crying,” Kraft said.
“And he hugged me and he said, ‘I’ve made a decision. I’m gonna leave the Patriots after 20 years.’ We normally would’ve franchised someone like that… but I kept my word to him. And it was one of the worst days – it’s like losing a child.”
Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC championship game at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 22, 2017. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Kraft noted that he informed Brady that he “wouldn’t allow Bill or the team to franchise (tag) you,” which suggested that Belichick may have wanted to place the designation on the quarterback to keep him contractually tied to the organization for one more season.
But Brady was given the autonomy to reach whatever decision he felt was best for him – and the NFL icon ultimately moved to Tampa Bay.
New England quarterback Tom Brady meets with Patriots owner Robert Kraft in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Feb. 3, 2019. (John David Mercer-USA Today Sports)
Kraft said Brady was emotional when he was preparing to depart New England and hinted that the divide between the quarterback and the coach weighed heavy on Brady.
“He cried that whole time when he had to leave us. I understood it. He lived under an arrangement that was very difficult for him the last decade,” Kraft said.
Brady and Belichick never even had dinner together, Brady’s father, Tom Brady Sr., said in 2017.
“They have never even gone out to lunch or dinner,” Brady Sr. said. “That’s not what they do.”
Earlier this year, Brady Sr. also suggested that Belichick’s lack of interpersonal skills directly contributed to the Patriots’ fall from grace.
“Bill is tough,” he told The Boston Globe. “He runs a military system. It’s a different generation. Bill is a great, great, great coach. But his interpersonal skills are horrible. That’s the bottom line.”
Brady and Belichick did appear to mend fences in May when the coach took a few playful jabs at the former quarterback during the “The Roast of Tom Brady.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team may still make the NCAA Tournament, but Dick Vitale thinks this iconic program should be much better than their 19-12 record this season considering their whopping $22 million roster.
The legendary ESPN college basketball analyst didn’t hold back his feelings about the Wildcats as they played Florida during Saturday’s prime SEC matchup. After the Gators hit some free throws to extend their first-half lead to 26-19, Vitale started to lay into the Wildcats.
Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats in a game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 7, 2026, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. (Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire)
“I’m going to say this right here, I’ve done several Kentucky games, win or lose, $22 million this team [which has been reported] in terms of the NIL for their players,” he said, per Awful Announcing. “I think in $22 million, they could have put together a better roster than they did. I really do.”
The Wildcats ended up losing by a score of 84-77, and Vitale continued about Kentucky near the end of their 12th loss of the season.
“I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t want to walk out of here thinking you got a moral victory,” Vitale said, referencing a hard-fought game against the No. 5-ranked Florida team. “Moral victories don’t count at this level of basketball. And you hear some of the people, ‘We played them close. We played them tough.’
“The bottom line is you’re Kentucky. You’re Kentucky. And you’ve got to leave here with a win, especially at home. There are no moral victories. Come on. I don’t want to hear that.”
Collin Chandler and Jasper Johnson of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrate in the first half against the Ole Miss Rebels at Rupp Arena on Jan. 24, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Wildcats were once the top program in the country under former Coach John Calipari, who left for Arkansas after being unable to make a long March Madness run in recent seasons, including a shocking first round upset to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats have been coached by Mark Pope since, and they made the Sweet 16 in last year’s tournament before losing to Tennessee.
Kentucky Jasper Johnson in action vs Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on Nov. 18, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated )
But this year, Kentucky is 10-8 in SEC play, and now face the No. 9 seed in the upcoming tournament this week. The winner of each conference earns a tournament berth, but the Wildcats know good seeding in the NCAA Tournament requires a strong run heading into Selection Sunday this upcoming weekend.
The Wildcats will start their SEC Tournament play on Wednesday against No. 16 LSU.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
The Chargers bolstered their efforts to protect quarterback Justin Herbert all while diversifying their offense by agreeing to a multiyear deal with veteran fullback Alec Ingold on Sunday, the team announced.
Ingold’s deal with the Chargers reportedly is for two years and $7.5 million.
Ingold will be no stranger to the Chargers’ plans on offense. He played the past four seasons in Miami under coach Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator. Last year he caught eight passes for 52 yards and ran the ball twice in 17 games.
Ingold caught 47 passes for 372 yards and rushed for 34 yards in 20 carries in four seasons with the Dolphins. He also had two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.
Before his time in Miami, Ingold played three seasons with the Raiders.
The deal comes two days after the Chargers signed veteran center Tyler Biadasz to take over for the retiring Bradley Bozeman. They agreed to terms on a one-year deal with edge rusher Khalil Mack on Saturday.
With the free agency negotiation period set to begin Monday at 9 a.m. PDT, the Chargers remain in strong position to be significant players in the free-agent market. They rank among the top-five teams in salary cap space, per Overthecap.com.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and his fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, reportedly broke up with their wedding around the corner.
Prescott and Ramos’ relationship had been “rocky” in the weeks leading up to the breakup and things exploded between the two at their joint bachelor and bachelorette parties, TMZ Sports reported on Saturday.
Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta on Oct. 30, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Omar Vega/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
Ramos shared pictures of her trip with her friends on Instagram on Friday.
“I truly believe you can get through anything in life as long as you have really great friends. I love these girls so much,” Ramos captioned the collage of snaps.
Prescott was not pictured in any of the 16 photos and videos posted to her social media account.
Sarah Jane Ramos and Dak Prescott pose for a photo before Dak Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish Foundation Gala on May 17, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Faith Fight Finish Foundation)
Ramos also posted photos of her bridal shower back on Feb. 23. There were no photos of Prescott in the carousel either.
“The most intimate and beautiful bridal shower of my dreams,” she added on Instagram. “So grateful for my aunts who hosted it and my girlfriends and family that came to celebrate. I love you all so much and can’t wait to marry the love of my life with all of you by my side.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Prescott’s representative for comment.
Prescott posted a series of photos on his Instagram of Ramos and his family on July 20, 2025. There’s only a September advertisement posted on his account since.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos pose on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts on Feb. 5, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The NFL star and Ramos announced they were engaged on Oct. 18, 2024. The couple have two children together.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
Dallas weather: Storms return this week with large hail and tornado threat
Miami Dolphins releasing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, team says
Boston’s season stays alive with dramatic buzzer-beater to advance to conference title game
Sprint to the Summit: Inside the ‘whirlwind 14 months’ to launch Denver’s NWSL team
SEEN FROM WEST SEATTLE: Downtown drone show
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Video: Airports Struggle to Staff T.S.A. During Partial Government Shutdown
Before-and-after satellite imagery offers a rare look at damage inside Iran
Hungary's opposition leader Péter Magyar calls on Russia to refrain from election interference
Video appears to show U.S. cruise missile striking Iranian school compound
Trump vows block on signing new laws until SAVE America Act passes Senate
-
Wisconsin1 week agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts6 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Maryland1 week agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Florida1 week agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Pennsylvania4 days agoPa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico
-
Oregon1 week ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
News1 week ago2 Survivors Describe the Terror and Tragedy of the Tahoe Avalanche
-
Sports4 days agoKeith Olbermann under fire for calling Lou Holtz a ‘scumbag’ after legendary coach’s death