For 20 years, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick dominated together. The "Patriot Way" scorched the land as opponents tried to keep pace with the greatest dynasty in modern sports.
With their split this season, 2020 was always going to be viewed by some as a referendum on who was more responsible for the Patriots' success, Brady or Belichick.
The winner of this round is clear, as Brady helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl, while the Patriots struggled, missing the playoffs. There were a plethora of reasons the Pats performed poorly, including QB play, but with TB12 taking his team to the doorstep of another Lombardi Trophy, the issues are magnified.
Given how harsh the "Patriot Way" is viewed from the outside, the question is whether New England will be a destination it once was with Brady at the helm.
Former Patriots receiver Danny Amendola joined FS1's First Things First on Monday and suggested TB12 was the main reason for all of the Patriots' success.
"When you see 'Patriot Way' in the dictionary, it's gonna have Tom Brady's name next to it," Amendola said. "None of those coaches threw any passes, none of those coaches caught any passes, none of those coaches made any tackles. They get guys in the right position because they watch a lot of film and they spend all their time at the facility.
"Tom Brady is the 'Patriot Way,' and that's the reason why Tom Brady's in the Super Bowl right now and the Patriots aren't."
It's worth mentioning that Amendola essentially burned all his bridges in New England on his way out of town in 2018 and has spoken harshly of the type of atmosphere Belichick manages since his exit. So, him siding with Brady and taking a blowtorch to the Pats isn't much of a surprise.
Still, with Brady set to play in his first Super Bowl without Belichick, the topic of who was responsible for the Patriots' success will rage this week.