Tom Brady’s trainer says Bill Belichick treated him like a ‘kid’ in New England

Tom Brady’s trainer says Bill Belichick treated him like a ‘kid’ in New England

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s breakup was “a Bill thing,” according to Alex Guerrero, the quarterback’s personal trainer and TB12 business partner.

In a new interview, Guerrero explained that New England’s head coach “never evolved” with Brady during their 20-year run — which ultimately led to Brady joining the Buccaneers in March 2020.

“The interesting thing I think there — and this is just me, an outsider looking in — it was like Bill never really … I think his emotions or feelings never evolved with age,” Guerrero told the Boston Herald. “I think in time, with Tom, as Tom got into his late 30s or early 40s, I think Bill was still trying to treat him like that 20-year-old kid that he drafted. And all the players, I think, realized Tom was different.

“He’s older, so he should be treated differently. And all the players, none of them would have cared that he was treated differently. I think that was such a Bill thing. He never evolved. So you can’t treat someone who’s in his 40s like they’re 20. It doesn’t work.”

Guerrero confirmed that Brady no longer felt wanted in New England, and the front office wasn’t giving him enough reason to stay.

Tom Brady with Alex Guerrero in 2016 after a Patriots win over the Jets.Tom Brady with Alex Guerrero in 2016 after a Patriots win over the Jets.Getty Images

“People could have made different choices, and they could have rode out into the sunset together. That could have been a pretty cool story, too,” he said.

Guerrero’s comments came just over a week before Brady will face Belichick and the Patriots for the first time since his departure. Tampa Bay visits New England for “Sunday Night Football” on Oct. 3.

“He and I have spent a lot of time together, and we really haven’t spent that much time talking about Week 4. We’ve really spent a lot of time just talking about the week that we’re in and trying to stay focused on that,” Guerrero said.

“But … I know how I would feel coming back, and I would think he would feel the same. There’s a lot of years spent there. There’s a great excitement to see there, be there, feel the energy, see the fans, feel the fans. I think it’s going to be very exciting.”

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick during their time together in New England.Tom Brady and Bill Belichick during their time together in New England.Getty Images

Guerrero’s remarks about the Brady-Belichick saga may not come as a surprise to some, as Guerrero’s relationship with Belichick was viewed as rocky throughout Brady’s tenure in New England.

He was famously limited by Belichick while treating Brady in New England, and couldn’t work with the quarterback in the team’s facility. Instead, Guerrero treated Brady in one of the luxury suites at Gillette Stadium before practices and games. He also flew separately to road games and was banned from the sideline, according to the Boston Herald.

However, treating Brady on-site in Tampa Bay has been smooth-sailing — so much that the quarterback’s Bucs teammates, including Rob Gronkowski, have joined his TB12 training sessions.

“This place, we have so much fun here. We have a great time,” Guerrero said. “They’re great here. Ownership is great. The coaching is great, the management is great.

Guerrero opened a new TB12 facility a short distance from the stadium.

“There’s a large group of [players] that come, I don’t know what the number is. But there’s a large group,” he said. “We have great support over here. The ownership is super supportive, the coaching staff is super supportive. The players are supportive. So it’s been great.”

Brady and Belichick have also played coy about the details surrounding the split.