In the NFL everyone knows the famous franchises, the famous players, and the teams which won the Super Bowl. But what about the coaches who put in an equal amount of hard work and dedicate their lives to planning, strategizing, holding training and doing much more. The down part of being an NFL coach is that while you are one of the most important pieces of a Championship winning team, not many of them get the recognition they truly deserve.
However, there are a handful of coaches like the longtime New England Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick whose name even the casual football fan must have heard. Taking over the mantle of the Patriots head coach from 2000, the eight time Super Bowl winning coach is still hungry for more success. At his age, Belichick is an inspiration not only for the NFL community but even for the general population.
Bill Belichick Age
As of September 2023, Bill Belichick is 71 years old. He was born on April 16, 1952 in Nashville, Tennessee. Belichick has Croatian ancestry which is where his grandparents emigrated from. As a coach in various positions, Belichick has dedicated the last 47 years of his life in the NFL. Working his way from the bottom almost five decades ago, Belichick reached the summit of coaching in 2002 when he won his first Championship as a head coach in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Bill Belichick before Head Coach job
Belichick’s first assignment as a coach in the NFL came when the then Baltimore Colts hired him as a special assistant in 1975. After just the lone season in Baltimore, he received a job from the Detroit Lions where he became a special teams assistant. One year later, he worked with the tight ends and wide receivers before being let go prior to the 1978 season. In 1978, Belichick joined the Denver Broncos where he became the assistant special teams and defensive assistant.
Things started looking up for Belichick in 1979 as the New York Giants gave him a lot of opportunities to grow his skills. He started out as a defensive assistant and special teams coach and started working with the linebackers and special teams from 1980 to 1984.
1985 was a special year as the Giants bumped him up to the defensive coordinator role, his first major coaching position of his career. He worked directly under another legendary coach Bill Parcells, who was the Giants head coach at the time. Together, the duo led the franchise to two Lombardi Trophies in Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV.
From 1991 till 1995, Belichick was actually the head coach for the Cleveland Browns. But we will take a look at that a little later.
In 1996, after completing his five year stint with the Browns, he got his first job with the Patriots once again under Bill Parcells as the assistant head coach and the defensive backs coach. Once again, the duo went to the Super Bowl but lost to the Green Bay Packers.
Belichcik then moved once again to New York but this time with the Jets as their new assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1997 to 1999. Funnily enough, he was once again teamed up with Parcells for another three years. Unfortunately this time their partnership was not enough to reach the Championship game.
Bill Belichick as a Head Coach
The Cleveland Browns were very interested in Bill Belichick's services after the former Giants defensive coordinator had won two Super Bowls in five years. The Browns hired him as their new head coach from 1991 till 1995. This was Belichick’s first head coaching job and it is safe to say that it wasn’t a pleasant one.
In his five year stint, his record with the Browns was dismal 36–44 and he had only one winning season with the team in 1994. It was also the only year the Browns made the playoffs. After the 1995 NFL season got over, Belichick was released by the franchise and he made a return to the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator job, this time with the Patriots.
The year 2000 would truly mark a new chapter in Belichick’s life and it would prove to be the best yet. The Patriots hired Belichick as their new head coach and also gave him almost complete control by making him the de facto general manager of the franchise as well.
Of course what has happened after that is quite well known as he and Tom Brady partnered together to become the best quarterback and coach combination this league has ever seen. The duo led the Patriots from having never won a Super Bowl to now being the joint leaders with the Pittsburgh Steelers with each franchise boasting of six rings. And now even when we look back at this long chapter beginning at the turn of the millennium, lasting for over two decades, there are still no signs of slowing down just yet.
FAQs
A. Bill Belichick has been the head coach of two teams in his career so far. His first head coach job was with the Cleveland Browns and his second is with the New England Patriots.
A. Bill Belichick is 71 years old as of September 2023. He was born on April 16, 1952.
A. The Patriots under Bill Belichick are 6-3 in Super Bowls.
A. Bill Belichick is a thorough professional when it comes to football. He thinks, plans, strategizes and executes everything to the minutest of details. He is also great at making necessary in-game changes no matter which quarter of play is going on.
A. Bill Belichick’s overall record as a head coach stands at 298-152 which includes his time with the Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots.
