The Great Patriots Debate: Is Bill Belichick or Tom Brady More Valuable?

Brady has never taken an NFL snap without Belichick as his head coach.

new england patriots
Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots stands with Tom Brady #12. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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Who gets ultimate credit for the Patriots’ unprecedented dynasty: Tom Brady or Bill Belichick? ESPN’s Bill Barnwell dove into the last 16 seasons of Pats history to determine if Brady’s on-field heroics or Belichick’s sideline scheming lie at the heart of the team’s five-rings-and-counting run. Belichick has gone 13-6 without Brady, with Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jacoby Brissett filling in for TB. Brady has never taken an NFL snap without Belichick as his head coach, but has fared shockingly well no matter who has departed from the Patriots offense, be it Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, or Wes Welker. Ultimately Barnwell gives the nod to Brady because the Patriots of the last decade have continued their historic dominance despite having middling defenses. 

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