Nick Wright questions Tom Brady's ascension to the throne of the New England Patriots' organization

- If the 28-3 stays 28-3 and they lose that game and Brady had played poorly in the first round of the playoffs that year, their first playoff game--

- Sure.

- And had played poorly in the Super Bowl up to that point, then I think everything is different for the Patriots this year. I think they don't trade Jimmy Garoppolo. I think this conversation's not happening. Even if they're back in the Super Bowl right now, I think the-- the moment Tom Brady became from greatest quarterback of all time to godlike figure was the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl last year. That, to me, was the-- the tipping point to where he became more powerful, if you will, within the organization than Belichick and has more of a sway than he had ever before.

- I don't know about that. I feel like this has been in the weeds for a long time. We're only hearing about it because of everything that came up this year. We wouldn't have had to hear about what Bob Kraft thinks about Tom Brady or where Belichick stands in this-- in this three-headed monster, if you will, of the Patriots because of all this other stuff that came up.

I think they-- they have been into this Tom Brady being able to retire when he wants to retire at least for the last few years.

- Yeah.

- Especially with what you said what he's done for the organization.

- What he's done for the organization, the relationship that he has with the family. But just think about what you just said. If he had played poorly or continued to play poorly in the Super Bowl, we wouldn't be having this discussion. So does that mean if he goes out and plays really poorly in this Super Bowl, suddenly the conversation changes moving into next season?

I think everybody is waiting to find the crack in Tom Brady's armor. And-- and when they do, they can all say, OK, they should have kept Garoppolo. Why is he still there? The people are looking for that, and Tom continues to defy odds. And the Krafts are betting that he'll-- he'll follow that same path.

- Again, I want to make this part clear. Brady very well may have earned this supreme level of deference. I believe he's the greatest football player ever, but the other players that are in the discussion for greatest football player ever did not earn this level of deference. Joe Montana had to go play for a different team. Jerry Rice had to go play for a different team. Jim Brown, who was up to that point in time the greatest football player ever, didn't even want to go play for a different team, wanted to keep playing, said I just want to make movies as well. And his owner said pick. You don't get to do both. Emmitt Smith had to go play for a different team. Peyton Manning did not want to leave the Indianapolis Colts. He had to go play for a different team.

I just listed five of the 10 greatest offensive football players of all time, a list that Brady is at the top of. But those are his contemporaries. Those guys didn't earn this level of deference.

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