Longtime New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has become synonymous with the franchise over a 20-year career that included six Super Bowl titles and three NFL MVP Awards.

But with Brady heading towards free agency this spring, it became increasingly likely he was on his way out of New England.

While teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Chargers ramped up their efforts to sign Brady, the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick seemed more resigned to the fact they would move on without Brady under center in 2020.

Mike Reiss of ESPN reported Brady and Belichick never made any substantial contract that suggested the Pats were intent on bringing the franchise legend back for another year:

“Part of it is the strategy with which the Patriots generally negotiate in which they withhold any offers as players are allowed to test the market while still keeping an open dialogue with them. That is one way the Patriots avoid insulting a player with a contract offer. It also protects them from the player taking an offer to another team as a leverage play. So my understanding is that Belichick and Brady never had meaningful contract talks since last August; instead it was like a dance to see who would make the first move.”

Brady eventually signed a two-year deal to join the Bucs, while the Pats now enter a real transition period for the first time in two decades.

Of course, Reiss' report might not be much of a surprise. Both Brady and Belichick gave always been brutally honest individuals.

Brady likely wanted a better payday after years of taking cuts so the Patriots could build around him, but it is possible Belichick did not feel an investment in Brady was worth the cost.

One of the most legendary quarterback-coach duos will not be on the same side next year, though they will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest tandems in NFL history.