Report: Belichick Bans Brady's Trainer From Sideline, Treating Other Patriots Players Inside Gillette Stadium
BOSTON (CBS) -- For more than a week, rumors have swirled about a downswing in the relationship between Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady's personal trainer and business partner, Alex Guerrero. On Tuesday afternoon, The Boston Globe put it on the record.
Bob Hohler reported for the Globe that several weeks ago, Belichick "stripped Guerrero of his special team privileges," which included traveling on the team's chartered flights and sideline access during games.
According to Hohler, other Patriots players who have in the past been treated by Guerrero are no longer allowed to see the trainer in his Gillette Stadium office. Those players -- a group that includes Rob Gronkowski -- are still allowed to visit Guerrero in the TB12 Sports Therapy Center. Brady, though, is still allowed to visit Guerrero in his office.
"The development has created some friction in Foxborough, where Belichick and Brady have collaborated over 18 years to help create the first great football dynasty of the 21st century, sources said. But the coach and quarterback, in keeping with their tradition, have refused to publicly address a potentially distracting topic, in this case Guerrero's diminished status," Hohler reported.
Guerrero has been the subject of controversy over the years, but Brady has sworn by his methods. Given the importance of Brady to the franchise, the organization has allowed Guerrero to work directly with players outside of the plans of the team's medical and training staffs.
According to a Hohler report in the Globe in 2015, Belichick felt he had no choice but to allow Guerrero to be involved with players, despite complaints from the team's training staff.
NBC Sports Boston's Patriots reporter Mike Giardi responded to the report by noting that Guerrero was seen by reporters on two occasions in the team's locker room last week.
The reason for the sudden change in access for Guerrero is not reported in the story.
