Did Tom Brady want special treatment from Bill Belichick? QBs trainer says HC 'treated him like a 20-year-old'

Tom Brady whisperer and close confidant Alex Guerrero, made claims on Thursday that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick treated Brady like a 20-year-old. Guerrero is one of Brady's closest allies and is a big reason why Brady is playing into his mid-40s. Speaking to the Boston Herald, Guerrero had this to say:

As Tom got into his late 30s or early 40s, I think Bill was still trying to treat him like that 20-year-old kid that he drafted. And all the players, I think, realized Tom was different. He's older, so he should be treated differently. And all the players, none of them would have cared that he was treated differently.

Guerrero fires a shot before Brady and Belichick meet

Of course, the timing is interesting; Brady and Belichick face off against each other for the first time in a few weeks as the Bucs visit the Patriots. That week will see the Bucs vs Patriots game dominate the headlines. Guerrero, however, feels that this won't become a distraction for Brady:

"He and I have spent a lot of time together, and we really haven't spent that much time talking about Week 4. We've really spent a lot of time just talking about the week that we're in and trying to stay focused on that."

Guerrero and Belichick's shared a fractious relationship. The trainer was never an official part of the Patriots staff, yet he acted like it. Belichick barred him from the Patriots' practice facility, causing the first wedge to appear between Belichick and Brady.

The fitness trainer continued to suggest that had circumstances played out differently, Brady might still be in Massachusetts:

"People could have made different choices, and they could have ridden out into the sunset together. That could have been a pretty cool story too."

Belichick treated Brady the same, which is why the Patriot Way stayed on top for so long. Everything is focused on the team, not the individual players. Did it hurt Brady? Probably not. Did it hurt Guerrero? Almost certainly.

Neither Belichick nor Brady will wade into a verbal sparring session before the game, as they have too much respect for each other. However, both antagonists will be desperate to get one over the other. Before any thoughts turn to Week 4, both of them will only have their eyes on Week 3. To paraphrase Belichick, he and Brady are on the Rams and Saints.