Just days before Tom Brady’s return to New England when the Patriots host the Bucs on Sunday Night Football, his former head coach, Bill Belichick, cleared up any confusion about Brady’s departure to Tampa Bay. Belichick didn’t want Brady to leave the Patriots for the Bucs last year in free agency.

“I think we’ve been through all the dynamics of that,” Belichick said via The Greg Hill Show. “He looked at his options and made his decision. We weren’t as good an option as Tampa. … It wasn’t a question of not wanting him, that’s for sure.”

Brady spent his first 20 years with the Patriots, the team that drafted him in the sixth round in 2000, winning six Super Bowls with the franchise. Brady helped build New England into a dynasty that also made it to three more Super Bowls during his tenure with the team.

The Patriots never had a losing record with Brady as the starter, and made the playoffs in 17 of the 20 seasons he played in New England. With Brady hitting free agency for the first time in his 20-year NFL career at age 42, he opted for Tampa Bay, which had a much better array of weapons to throw to and a solid offensive line. Brady’s first season with the Bucs was magical, with him throwing a team-record 40 touchdowns at age 43 and leading Tampa Bay to a win in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium.

In New England, the Patriots suffered their first losing season since 2000, going 7-9 last year with Cam Newton at quarterback last year. The Patriots drafted Alabama quarterback Mac Jones in the first round last April, and he is 1-2 as a starter so far this season.

Brady is looking forward to his return to Gillette Stadium and has already visualized what the environment will be like on Sunday night.