Back in 2018, ESPN’s Seth Wickersham suggested the New England Patriots were heading towards a massive breakup.
The premise of that blockbuster report highlighted apparent friction between head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and team owner Robert Kraft, much of it centered around the quarterback pegged to eventually replace Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo.
Fans know the facts: Belichick elected to trade Jimmy G to the San Francisco 49ers prior to the 2017 trade deadline in exchange for a second-round pick. Garoppolo was in a contract year, and Belichick’s initial explanation was the situation to keep Garoppolo a Patriot was no longer tenable.