Tom Brady sent a loud message to the Patriots by skipping offseason workouts, and some think it caused Bill Belichick to lighten up on him

Steven Senne/AP

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick seemed to have patched things up.

• Several reports last year indicated that there was a growing rift on the New England Patriots between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
• Brady even skipped voluntary workouts to work out at his facility around the corner from the Patriots.
• According to one report, when Brady did return to the team, some felt that Belichick went out of his way to praise Brady and handled him differently.
• After winning another Super Bowl, things seem to have largely been patched up.

It was no secret that things were strained between Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft with the New England Patriots last season.

Several reports, including one bombshell, expose from ESPN, detailed the rift between the three men, from feeling underappreciated, to differences in opinion on the direction of the franchise.

After losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, questions persisted in the offseason about the viability of the team going forward, especially as Brady seemed to protest things outwardly. When asked if he felt appreciated by the team, he joked that he wanted to "plead the Fifth."

Then, in the spring, Brady skipped voluntary organized team activities (OTAs), something he hadn't done in nearly a decade. He spent the time, instead, training at his TB12 facilities - which are around the corner from where the Patriots were working out.

Read more: Tom Brady was reportedly working out with his health guru, and the location looked like a resounding message to the team

According to ESPN's Ian O'Connor, Brady even considered leaving the Patriots. But according to O'Connor, Brady knew he had to return after he had stated that he wanted to play into his 40s and helped push the team to trade Jimmy Garoppolo the year before.

Brady eventually showed up to mandatory team activities, and, according to O'Connor, Belichick seemed to respond to Brady differently. From O'Connor:

"He showed up for the mandatory portion of the preseason schedule, and people who know Brady and Belichick sensed a subtle shift in how the latter managed the former. Known for coaching his best player in a relentless, unforgiving way, Bill seemed to have taken a little off his fastball. Early on, Bill seemed to be going a little out of his way to praise Tom."

Even amid a more sluggish season than usual from the Patriots, things between Brady and Belichick did seem improved in 2018. Reports of internal discord subsided. Wins in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl this year both included long postgame hugs between the quarterback and coach.

After beating the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Belichick praised Brady, crediting him as the hardest worker on the team and someone who plays his best in the biggest moments.

When the reports of the discord within the Patriots surfaced, there were questions about how much longer the dynasty would last. It obviously will end at some point, but after another Super Bowl win, it doesn't seem like it will happen via internal combustion.

• Read more:
• Bill Belichick had the perfect reaction to Jason McCourty's stunning, Super Bowl-saving play
• We tried the alcohol diet Tom Brady put Rob Gronkowski on, and it was a lot harder than we imagined
• Photographer captures an amazing photo of Tom Brady, his daughter, and the Lombardi Trophy