No more warm and fuzzies: Bill Belichick has predictable answer to Tom Brady questions

Remember back, a month ago, when Bill Belichick had a nice, heartfelt message about Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots. He even said his relationship with Brady was built on “love.”

And now, Belichick is on to ... well, we don’t know the Patriots’ next quarterback. But you get the point.

The unemotional coach was back to his old self on Monday, giving a true Belichickian response to a question about the old quarterback he said he loves.

‘Water under the bridge’

Belichick conducted a pre-draft media conference, and was asked about Brady. Considering the historic ramifications of the NFL’s only six-time Super Bowl championship player leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this is far from a one-week story. This will always be a part of the legacies for Brady and Belichick, however it turns out.

And yet, Belichick is Belichick. Always.

"That's water under the bridge,” Belichick said when asked if he was surprised Brady left, via CLNS’ Mike Petraglia. “We’re focused on this season, making decisions to be as competitive as possible. That’s where our focus is.”

You can just feel the nostalgia, can’t you? That’s enough to get someone choked up.

Then the media tried another Brady question.

“Again, I think we’ve covered all of that,” Belichick said, via Zack Cox of NESN.

Bill Belichick doesn’t want to talk more about Tom Brady

Belichick has built a reputation around being a curmudgeon with the media. We know he has a personality — he was nominated for an Emmy for his work on NFL Network’s 100 greatest players show — but he doesn’t feel it does him any good to answer questions about his football team.

We saw that different side of Belichick in that letter to Brady. Clearly he has a bond with Brady. They’re the most successful coach-quarterback combination in NFL history. Brady talked about his relationship with Belichick last week on “The Howard Stern Show” and had nothing bad to say.

But reminiscing isn’t part of Belichick’s brand. No days off.

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