Every NFL team is founded on its best players who lead the way. For two decades, Tom Brady was the top dog in Foxborough, and everyone else just followed along. He was not only the best at his position, but he was a commanding presence, and when Brady spoke, everyone else listened.
Since 2019, there hasn't been a Patriots leader who was that singular player to whom everyone else looked for inspiration and sometimes a dose of harsh medicine when things aren't going in the right direction. Usually, of necessity, since he's the most important player on any NFL team, that role falls to the quarterback if he has the temperament to accept and run with it.