Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick was naturally full of praise for the long-time sidekick QB Tom Brady, even joking that he deserves a statue.
The Patriots HC and GM is thrilled that the franchise and the greater Boston area will honor Brady when they take on the Eagles, in week 1.
"[I] always look forward to talking to Tom and what a great experience and opportunity it was for me to coach him," said Belichick.
Brady, a seven-time Superbowl champion carved out an irreplaceable legacy at the Patriots, and his former coach described him as a "pretty talented guy … I’m looking forward to seeing him and I’m sure there will be a lot of excitement at the game, in the stands as there should be," he added.
When pressed on whether Brady deserves a stature he answered with a laugh, "Give him whatever you want. Yeah."
Belichick has been in the coaching game since 1975 after his first stint as a special assistant at the Baltimore Colts. He has coached or been involved in coaching at seven different franchises, but the highlight was the Brady years, starting in 2000.
He has won the Superbowl six times as head coach and twice as the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets, making him the winningest coach in NFL history.
A ‘student’ of the game as he is known, Bill is not overly effusive but when it comes to the likes of Brady, Lawrence Taylor and Matt Slater he is bursting with pride.
"Great players make great coaches, and I’ve been pretty fortunate," he said, a bit too modestly.
He took the Patriots to a famous 16-0 season in 2007. He struggled alongside his Patriots team last season with a 8-9 record, but will be hoping a bit of Brady magic will bring back the good times.
