Tom Brady Revisited A Bucs Memory And Reignited The Belichick Debate

Tom Brady reveals how an unexpected training session with Ben Affleck in the Bahamas played a role in his preparation for a standout season with the Buccaneers.

Tom Brady had a little fun revisiting a memorable vacation workout with Ben Affleck, and he also made it clear where he stands in the long-running debate over his success with Bill Belichick.

Speaking on Wednesday’s episode of the "New Heights" podcast, Brady confirmed Affleck’s April 2025 story about the two of them playing catch while on vacation at Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas. Brady said the impromptu session came as he was preparing for his second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"I needed to catch," Brady said (Timestamp-1:06:04). "We were getting ready for football season.

I was down there. It was the summer, it was quiet, and I'm like, 'Hey, can you catch?'

And he's like, 'I can catch.' And I'm like all right, let's go.

So, I got all these balls, I'm on that big field, ... And I'm like, 'All right, let's see what you got.'

"I had known Ben for a while. And finally I remember getting to the end, and I was like, I want to put a little pressure on, see what the hell happened.

I was like, 'All right, fourth down, Super Bowl is on the line. I'm calling your number, this is the route.

I'm gonna throw it, see if you catch it.' And get got running, and I put one out there, and he stretched his arm out and caught it."

According to Ben Affleck, that moment ranked as the second-best memory of his life, behind the birth of his children.

Brady also used the podcast to address the familiar question of whether he or Belichick mattered more to the Patriots’ run of dominance. Brady spent 20 seasons in New England and won six Super Bowls with Belichick, and he didn’t hesitate when asked about the coach’s place in that success.

"First of all, I think he's the greatest coach ever," Brady said about Belichick. " Greatest head coach in terms of preparing a team to win.

There was nobody better. I was privileged to play for him as his quarterback.

There's no coach I'd rather choose.

"And it's just dumb analogy. It's like, what's more important, the left tackle or the center?

… There's nobody more important to winning Monday through Saturday than the head coach, especially in football. And there's nobody more important on Sunday than the quarterback.”

Belichick moved into college football in December 2024, taking over at North Carolina. His first season with the Tar Heels ended with a 4-8 record.

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