The Man Under The Hood

In 2000 when Bill Belichick became the head coach of the New England Patriots, few people thought a legend would be formed that would change the NFL coaching landscape. Bill Belichick coaches unlike any other coach in the league. Belichick’s teams are not flashy like the Cowboys or don’t brag like the Jets. The thing that Belichick does that separates himself from the rest is his ability to pay attention to small details.

When Belichick was hired, members of the media and fans heavily criticized the hiring. The argument was that Belichick’s record at his previous job, the Cleveland Browns, was 36-44. Eight games under .500 in five years is not what fans were hoping. The Patriots were a team only 4 years away from its last Super Bowl. Things looked to be going in the wrong direction after a 5-11 record in Bill’s first year. 2001 appeared to be doomed when the team began the season with two losses. However, in that second loss, a future hall-of-famer in Tom Brady was born and, Belichick has never looked back.

The Patriots went on to become the first dynasty team since the ‘90 Cowboys. The Patriots dominated the league, reaching four Super Bowls and winning three. The Patriots won games unlike any team before. This was done with only one true NFL superstar in Tom Brady, having a good to average defense, turning no name players into Pro-Bowlers, and cutting veteran hometown favorites. With these unconventional methods the Patriots only got better, almost going undefeated in 2007. What was the secret to the success? Few people knew what was going on under the hood of Bill Belichick.

The secret to Bill Belichick is that he does it his own way. Every player has a role and he doesn't care if you are a rookie or a veteran, everyone has a role.

Even the player who knows Belichick the best, Tom Brady, says he doesn’t get special treatment when commenting on his career long coach. “He's very consistent, I think he expects and demands that we're always at our best, and I'd say that he coaches me the same way he coached me the day that I got here "There really is no separate treatment for different players. The rookies are expected to perform and act the same as the veteran guys. On our team, you really don't have to hold the other players accountable, because the head coach does it.”(McClain)

So where is Belichick going to go down in history? There has been many coaches who have won three or more Super Bowls, but if Belichick wins his fourth on Sunday he may go down as the greatest coach in NFL history. If you look back and see coaches like Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls, it’s clear that Walsh was not on the same level as Belichick. No other coach has had a dynasty like Belichick and as high a level of play. In my opinion, even if Belichick and the Patriots lose Super Bowl XLVI, he will go down as the greatest coach in NFL history.

Sources:

McClain, John. "Belichick's demanding style helps Pats stay among elite - Houston Chronicle." Houston News, Sports, Business, and Entertainment - The Houston Chronicle at Chron.com - Houston Chronicle. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. <http://www.chron.com/sports/texans/article/Belichick-s-demanding-style-helps-Pats-stay-among-2974298.php>.