The issue I have with that oft repeated narrative is that it assumes everything else in this clinical trial is equal - and it most definitely is not.
Four specific circumstances happened Cleveland:
- Belichick inherited a 3-13 team with overpaid, over the hill veterans, necessitating a 2-year rebuild.
- Kosar was a hometown favorite who was past his prime, and went completely insubordinate.
- Things were looking up once Kosar was booted, but then Testaverde was injured.
- Modell's announcement of the move caused incredible distraction, and one of the best teams at that time finished 2-9.
After years and years of 'go for it now' and 'the cap is crap' narrative, the Pats finally did think short term in the last few years with Brady. Whenever the point did eventually come that the Pats would move on from TB12, it was going to be painful from a roster quality viewpoint as well as a salary cap perspective. That is what happened this year.
It is disingenuous to imply that the only difference between 2020, and 2001-2019 is the absence of Brady.