"You are who we thought you were, even without Tom Brady!" - Michael Irvin makes his choice between Bill Belichick and TB12

Hall of Famer Michael Irvin is famously known for his passionate speeches and for being an all-round hype man, especially for his beloved Dallas Cowboys. But today, Irvin directed his talents towards New England.

The debate over whether it was Bill Belichick or Tom Brady who made the Patriots so dominant over the years has been prevalent for a while; and on NFL Network, Irvin produced one of his speeches in favor of the Patriots head coach.

“Let me tell you something, Rich," Irvin begins, addressing his co-host Rich Eisen. "This man, six times he has been undefeated in the month of November, 13 times he’s gotten the bye (in playoffs) in the last 20 years, six times he has won the Super Bowl."

“Am I crowning the New England Patriots?" Irvin continues. "I may not crown them, but I will crown Bill Belichick because he is the king, yes sir I see a crown, Bill Belichick. Bill, you are the king! You are who we thought you were, even without Tom Brady. You are the king!”

The Brady-Belichick conundrum

Brady and Belichick were the main reason the Patriots dominated for over a decade

When Tom Brady made the decision to leave the New England Patriots and sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it gave NFL fans a few things to ponder upon. Just who was largely responsible for New England's success? Brady or Belichick?

In Brady's first season in Tampa, it was clear that he was winning the argument as he led the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

While Brady was winning another Super Bowl, Belichick and the Patriots struggled with Cam Newton as the team's new quarterback. New England finished third in the AFC East with a 7-9 record as Josh Allen and the Bills dominated the division and finished with a 13-3 record.

But this season, Belichick and the Patriots are back with a bang. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones has been consistent in his play and has led the Patriots to an 8-4 record and a six-game win streak that includes a 54-point game against the Jets, a 45-7 win over Cleveland, a 36-13 win over the Titans and, most recently, a 25-0 win over Matt Ryan and the Falcons.

While the question will divide opinion, Michael Irvin is in no doubt about who he thinks was largely responsible for the Patriots dynasty over the years. Up next for Jones and Belichick is a tough matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.

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