Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, having left the New England Patriots, might not remember this part of American history, but they would do well to contemplate it:

When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in November of 1963, it signaled the end of a magical time in The White House. Shortly after, his wife, Jackie Kennedy, gave an interview which helped set the stage for how we as Americans have come to remember the Kennedy era.

A quote of hers continues to stick out to this day:

“Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief, shining moment that was known as Camelot. There'll be great presidents again … but there will never be another Camelot.”

Camelot, in the traditional sense, represents the era of King Arthur, a British leader who ruled in the 5th and 6th centuries. According to historical context, it was a magical time that has been hard to reproduce.

In the NFL world, does this description describe a certain franchise? If you're struggling to think, then I'll help. The New England Patriots fit the bill.

The New England Patriots built a dynasty in the last 20 years that may never be rivaled again in sports. They won six Super Bowl titles, made nine appearances, and won 17 AFC East titles. Head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady captained and personified “The Patriot Way.”

But in a matter of a month, the Patriots lost Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and were cornered into a trade by then-retired Rob Gronkowski to join Brady. The two future Hall of Fame players were worn thin by the fabled Patriot Way. Gronkowski will be 31 in a few weeks. Brady will be 43 in a few months. If the two were going to play together, they agreed it was going to be somewhere and something new.

But when special comes around, sometimes it can be hard to grasp. Take Steph Curry, the greatest and most revolutionary shooter basketball has ever seen. Lots of people did not grasp it and refused to do so. Curry shot all over the court, made his three-pointers appear routine. In that process, he changed basketball forever. But the masses probably won't appreciate Curry until he is long retired.

In the same vein, this will most likely be the outcome for Tom Brady and Gronk. Sure, they understand that the Patriots are the most high-functioning football culture in the NFL. Belichick and his staff's attention to detail gave Brady a chance to win six Super Bowls: Gronk three. But will Bruce Arians and the Bucs give this legendary QB-TE duo the same opportunity to win? Yes, of course. But it won't be like New England. Not even close to it.

Because New-England is a once and a lifetime sports dynasty that probably will never happen again in the NFL. Just as UCLA dominated college basketball in the 1960's/70's, and the Boston Celtics dominated the NBA in the '50s and '60s, that success won't happen again. It was a special time, led by special coaches and special players. Yes, the teams and coaches had to sacrifices a lot. But in the end, both programs set themselves apart. They were their own Camelot for their eras.

Bill Belichick is only following the same guidelines that UCLA and Boston did. John Wooden and Red Auerbach oversaw both programs and were committed to winning. Most importantly, both led with the team being the priority. Belichick has made the team-first ideology his Modus Operandi, and while a few have succeeded, none have truly duplicated his success long-term.

This is why it will take a change of scenery for Gronk and Brady to fully realize how special it was in New England.

Because currently, Tom Brady and Gronk want to have fun at this point in their careers. They want to feel like their coach is their colleague, not their superior. In a sense, it's understandable. This era is leaning more toward leaders serving their employees. But that isn't how things work in New England. And as long as Belichick is at the helm, probably never will happen.

But again, when special comes along, it can be tough to embrace. It isn't apart of the norm, so it can be human nature to gloss over its impact. But what Brady and Gronk endured was a special time and culture. They had a special coach who prepared them like no other. No matter how great Arians is, their time with New England can't be duplicated.

So while Gronk wants fun, and Tom Brady wants to be appreciated, it can't replace the special Camelot-like era they built. Their world-class culture provided them with an environment that allowed them to always compete for rings. Any time during the Brady-Gronk era, New England was almost always a lock to win. That, folks, just do not happen every day,

So in 20 years, Tom Brady and Gronk probably won't focus on their Tampa Bay time when they reminisce. They will most likely talk about their Patriot time. How Belichick and his staff prepared them each week. How the thrilling taste of victory felt after outsmarting opponents for 19 or so games.

Special isn't always realized and appreciated immediately. So we can't fault Tom Brady and Gronk for not wanting to stay to relish their special culture. However, time is our greatest weapon. Maybe this experience will give the two future HOFers the time to truly see what great place they were apart of.