Did the Patriots hold Tom Brady back?

Over the last 20 years, the question of Brady and Belichick has been an NFL talking point for fans and pundits alike. Millions of arguments have been had about whether one would succeed without the other, or which is more valuable.

But it was this season that a new discussion was had that turned the entire argument on its head. Could the Patriots have held back Tom Brady?

Why the Patriots could have been holding back Tom Brady all this time

At first glance, the idea is laughable. If any pundits would have said such a thing when Brady was in New England, they would have been laughed out of the room.

Anyone saying anything like that may have been said to have had ulterior motives and a strong hatred for Belichick and the Patriots organization. But now in Brady's second year outside of Foxborough, it is becoming abundantly clear who needs who more.

Mac Jones and Cam Newton have not fixed the offense in New England. With Brady, the offense was, at a minimum, watchable as the 15th-ranked team in the NFL. In 2018, the offense was ranked fifth.

However, over the last two years, the Patriots' offense has ranked 27th and 26th in the league.

Even after overhauling the offense with some quality wide receivers and tight ends, the offense has remained the same. Meaning, the Patriots couldn't fix their most obvious issue without Brady. That means the odds are good that the Patriots couldn't build around Brady, either.

Throughout the years, Brady's offensive weapons may have had an occasional standout game or two, but nothing like what he's enjoyed in Tampa Bay. Remember, Brady also famously took less money so the Patriots could get better pieces around him.

With the exception of Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, and a constantly-injured Rob Gronkowski, Brady's weapons in New England were never plentiful.

Patriots fans, of course, are also likely screaming about the defense, which has seen several stars take the field. The Patriots also did themselves no favors years ago in benching Malcolm Butler, the cornerback who won a Super Bowl just a couple of years previously.

What ensued in that Super Bowl canceled out a lot that the Patriots had to say about helping Tom Brady.

In the three years leading up to Tom Brady's takeover, the Buccaneers were 9-7, 8-8, and 5-11, with the 5-11 season coming just before Brady's arrival. Brady was seen as the main force of change for an otherwise struggling franchise.

Meaning, while Brady was doing well, the Patriots were still making the same moves resembling a struggling franchise. The Patriots ran the team like normal: occasional stars here and there but no constant spending for superstars, successful free agent acquisitions, or trades.

Tompa Tom Brady

One cannot argue that Brady's most athletic years are behind him. However, he's still winning Super Bowls in his mid-40s. In his first year away from the Patriots,

Brady had a better year with touchdowns and interceptions than any other year with the exception of 2007. As a quarterback in his mid-40s, this is nearly impossible.

That is, unless there was such a discrepancy in talent during that time with the Patriots compared to Tampa Bay that caused Brady to never quite hit his true peak. If he could have landed with a team that was adept at landing top tier free agents and drafting stars all over the place, it's not unusual to think that he may have earned more Super Bowl championships.

Perhaps he may have gottena chance at a perfect season. While Brady has done some incredible things in his career, one could point to some areas that could have been better as a direct result of having a better roster.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New Orleans Saints

A better offensive line may have let Brady play through 2008, the season when he tore his ACL. And who knows what could have happened during that time with Randy Moss.

Put simply, the Patriots left a lot out on the table for Brady and Brady has exceeded all expectations without his former team.