Bill Belichick Turns 70: Patriots Birthday for Legendary 'Student of the Game'

As he celebrates his 70th birthday, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is showing no signs of slowing down.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has a fervor for the game of football.

From the looks of things, it will seemingly be burning bright for the foreseeable future.

For nearly 47 years, New England’s head coach has been one of the most successful at his position in this, or any sport. After all, few, if any, have ever enjoyed the level of success Belichick has while at the Patriots helm. Six Super Bowl championships and becoming a three-time AP Coach of the Year award recipient are just some of the accolades which Belichick has collected during his time on the sidelines.

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

"I enjoy doing what I'm doing. I don't think that's going to last forever. Beats working," Belichick once said about his career.

As he turns 70, however, it is only reasonable to question exactly how long it will last. 

After all, Belichick once said in his 2009 NFL Network documentary ‘A Football Life’ that he could not foresee himself coaching into his 70s.

Yet, with his birthday on April 16, here we are … and Bill Belichick is still here.

Why, you may ask?

The answer is simple. It is because he never stopped being a student of the game.

Always Learning

Bill Belichick’s prowess as an NFL head coach requires no embellishment. His eventual enshrinement in Canton became a mere formality long ago. However, the sustained success with which he has guided the Patriots over the past two-plus decades remains his greatest mystique. Whether he is praised as a ‘defensive genius’ or playfully mocked as a ‘diabolical manipulator,’ Belichick has reached the top of the coaching plateau for one, simple reason. He has never ceased to be a student of the game.

Bill Belichick is renowned for his penchant for watching and examining game film. While some will read this sentence in the voice of ‘Spygate’ allegations, Belichick’s ability to break down game strategy is second to none. Since entering the league as an entry-level assistant with the Baltimore Colts in 1975, he has used each and every opportunity to increase his knowledge of football. In the 43 years since, his appetite for improvement has only become more voracious. Whether it be on the field, or in the media room, Belichick is always watching and learning. One needs not look further for a better reason why the Patriots so often seem to be a step ahead of their competition.

In addition to studying film, Belichick is also a master at football reconnaissance. Many of his friends in the business have likened football discussions with him as ‘benign brain-picking.’ Whether it be his curiosity regarding one of their recent draft picks, or seeking an opinion on a rule interpretation, his conversational battery-mate can be sure of one thing: Bill Belichick has come into the discussion having done his homework.

However, his thirst for knowledge is not what has made Belichick the longest tenured head coach in the NFL today. It is his ability to put that knowledge into practice. On the field, the student becomes the teacher with an unparalleled effectiveness. Belichick is not afraid to impart his concepts with monotonous repetition, until it is ingrained deep into his players’ bones. His players will frequently practice basic hand techniques and foot placements. They will become experts on ways to bat down a pass, shed a blocker, or gain leverage. Simply put, they will do so until they get it right.

Over the past 21 years, the Patriots have routinely been one of the most disciplined, and fundamentally sound teams in the NFL. That starts at the top, with their head coach. Each coach that has coached under Belichick has absorbed this mentality. As a result, they have sought to put these methods into practice when they have obtained positions of greater stature.

From Father to Son

In trying to emulate their mentor, so many Belichick protégés (from Eric Mangini to Matt Patricia, and all points in between,) as well as his competitors, have failed to grasp one simple concept. There is a difference between being ‘like’ Bill Belichick and trying to ‘BE’ him. It should also be noted that he is no stranger to having to evolve from a legendary shadow. Having served as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants under Bill Parcells during much of the 1980s, Belichick also struggled to find his identity, at first. His tenure as head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-1995 is often (and unfairly) regarded as a failure. However, he was able to harness his own persona by using the example from the man he admired most. That man was his father, Steve Belichick.

Anyone familiar with the Patriots head coach is keenly aware of the reverence and respect with which he holds his father’s memory. Keeping the great love between father and son out of the equation, Belichick is a staunch advocate of his father’s coaching philosophy. He often cites Steve Belichick’s highly-regarded book “Football Scouting Methods” as the greatest influence on his own coaching style. The elder Belichick, a legendary Naval Academy assistant coach, regarded the key to being a successful coach to mastering “the alignment, assignment, and execution of every move of every player visible on the screen.” Once he embraced this fundamental principle, Bill was able to put his father’s wisdom into a practice all his own. He wasn’t trying to ‘be’ his father. He was following his example. The results have more than spoken for themselves. Today, Belichick now imparts these lessons to his sons Steve (outside linebackers coach) and Brian (safeties), who join their father on the Patriots staff. It is a truly unique legacy, once again poised to be handed down from father to son.

Fervor Renewed

As he prepares to lead the Patriots in 2022, Belichick continues to march to the beat of his own drum. Much has changed in the game of football since his ‘rookie’ campaign in 1975. The rules of the game have evolved. Media coverage has become far more scrutinous. The era of ‘no-frills grit’ has been supplanted by that of the ‘tweet,’ ‘sound byte’ and the ‘hot take.’ In some cases, appearance is more important than the result.

However, Belichick remains consistent due to his unwillingness to change the formula with which he has found so much success. Of course, he evolves with the times, as any person would. Yet, there are core axioms and fundamentals that keep him firmly within the grasp of his own counsel. In his own words, Belichick once simply stated:

“What it takes to win and the things that cause you to lose, I don’t think those have changed.”

This, perhaps, is the greatest key to Belichick’s success. He remains steadfast in his finely detailed knowledge and practice. In terms of distraction, Belichick continues to be the contrarian; one who refuses to be defined by the story of the day. Whether it be devising game strategies based on his own vanity, or the most recent alleged scandal surrounding his team, he defiantly refuses to feed into the frenzy. What most matters to him is that the 53 players in his locker room understand him. It is why he has succeeded so mightily, while others around him have not.

Starting with the commencement of OTAs on May 23, Belichick will be on the practice field imparting his wisdom and experience to his players. While it is incumbent on the Patriots players to put that plan into action, Belichick remains intent on preparing his team. He will work tirelessly to ensure that his team does not defeat itself with careless mistakes; instead remaining focused on the task at hand. It is this method that makes him who he is.

As such, Belichick pursues his new challenge in helping quarterback Mac Jones achieve success. While it may never reach the levels which the team enjoyed with Tom Brady under center, Belichick remains committed to the same team goal. It should also be noted that he continues to pursue his own personal goals, as well. With 10 wins in 2022, Belichick would become only the third coach in league history to win 300 games. He is 28 wins from matching George Halas' total of 318 wins. 

Perhaps most notably, he is 38 wins from tying Don Shula for the all-time lead.

Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald

While only Belichick can decide how many additional trips around the sun will include him stalking the Patriots sidelines, his recent actions indicate no signs of slowing down.

(Cred: Boston Herald, Staff Photo by Matt Stone)

Apparently, the Patriots seem content to oblige him.

Recently, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio recalled a conversation he had with Patriots team owner Robert Kraft several years ago regarding Belichick, via 93.7 The Fan, saying:

"Robert Kraft told me that he wants to see Bill Belichick coach into his 80s. He wants to see him perform at a high level like a Warren Buffett or a Rupert Murdoch well past his 80th birthday -- he believes he can."

Though it may be a departure from his previous sentiments, Bill Belichick may have the devotion, discipline and desire to do just that. After all, as a student of the game, there is always a lesson to be learned.