Former Patriots Champion Tells Awesome Tom Brady, Bill Belichick Story
· Yahoo Sports
Former Patriots Champion Tells Awesome Tom Brady, Bill Belichick Story originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A former New England Patriots player recalled a moment that perfectly encapsulates the complicated yet successful relationship between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Visit rocore.sbs for more information.
Martellus Bennett won a Super Bowl playing for the Patriots in 2016. The retired tight end shared an entertaining anecdote about his former head coach and quarterback Thursday on ESPN's "The Rich Eisen Show."
Bennett began by recalling a bad practice during training camp.
"We're disastrous," Bennett said. "Like, we suck. Tom's missing passes. Everybody is having an off day. It's really, really bad."
While Bennett was used to quarterbacks receiving preferential treatment, Belichick tore into Brady in front of the entire team.
"As soon as we get into the meeting, Bill Belichick was like, 'What is this?'" Bennett recalled. "'We have an all-world quarterback who can't hit the target. Can't throw the ball ... Julian Edelman, how long have you been short? All his career. Why are we throwing the ball seven feet tall to a three-foot guy?'"
Bennett later heard loud thuds when going to the weight room after the meeting. He realized it was Brady throwing the football against the wall for "target practice." The quarterback then addressed all the players to avoid another subpar practice.
"The next morning, Tom comes in, and he goes to each person individually," Bennett said. "'Hey, stretch, do whatever you got to do. We're gonna kick some butt today.'"
The offense followed Brady's lead and delivered a perfect practice. Belichick seemed pleased by his tough love sparkng an instant turnaround.
"We go outside, we go 35 for 35 at practice," Bennett said. "Bill Belichick is over there smiling ... He's just swinging his whistle, kind of got this mischievous grinchy grin on his face. He's over there like he's some sort of mastermind."
Bennett thought the moment "showed a lot" about Brady. Meanwhile, he said Belichick treated everyone in New England's building the same, recalling the six-time Super Bowl champion once making coaches run sprints with the players.
"He was one of my favorite coaches," Bennett said. "The Patriots was actually my favorite place to play."
More NFL: Top NFL Insider Forecasts 'Fascinating' Receiver Move For Patriots