Belichick’s record pre-Brady era:
Browns
1991 6-10
1992 7-9
1993 7-9
1994 11-5
1995 5-11

Pats
2000 5-11
2001 0-2

Brady takes over in Game 3 of 2001 and immediately turns the Pats around by going 11-3 in the regular season and 3-0 in the playoffs (including their first SB win).

Brady took over for a good QB in Bledsoe that Belichick couldn’t win with. Brady was the difference and has been ever since.

Sure, guys have stepped in here and there and won games when Brady was out. But Brady was as much the mentor and leader in those situations as Belichick. The culture of the Patriots was built by Tom Brady, plain and simple.

Belichick is a good coach, no doubt. But so are a number of coaches who lose their jobs because they don’t have the GOAT QB to lead their team.

Also, the 2008 Pats did win 11 games with Matt Cassel. But they didn’t even make the playoffs. So Belichick has had 7 seasons without Brady at the helm and only made the playoffs once! That’s remarkable.