Patriots, Bill Belichick Still In Sync After 'Last 25 Years'?
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FOXBORO -- The prowess of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick requires no embellishment.
His eventual enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame became a mere formality long ago by navigating a two-plus decade run of success, the likes of which may never be seen again.
However, the ‘HC of the NEP’ has typically been reluctant when it comes to self-promotion — especially when using prior accomplishments as a measuring stick for future prosperity. The 70-year-old has generally relied on his impressive resume to speak for itself.
Therefore, it seemed uncharacteristic for Belichick to invoke past success when recently asked why Patriots fans should be optimistic heading into the 2023 NFL season.
“The last 25 years,” he responded during Monday morning's AFC coaches' breakfast from the Annual League Meeting in Phoenix.
Few, if any, have ever enjoyed Belichick's level of success while at the Patriots helm. Six Super Bowl championships, along with 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.
Still, the harsh reality is that the Patriots were once again on the outside of the AFC playoff picture at the conclusion of 2022. Having finished the season 8-9, losing three of their final four games for the second consecutive year, the Pats continued their struggles during a time of the season in which they were nearly unbeatable in seasons’ past. Since their victory in Super Bowl LIII to close out the 2018 season, New England has failed to qualify for the playoffs twice. For the two seasons in which they did make the playoffs, they were quickly ousted in the Wild Card round.
Ordinarily, Belichick would be the first to place the past firmly in his proverbial rearview mirror. As such, it was a bit surprising to hear him issue what has been characterized as a not-so-subtle humble brag.
In reality, Belichick's comments were nothing of the sort.
"I think we've been pretty competitive every year that I've been here with the Patriots," he stated. "That's our overall plan. I expect it to continue that way. I think the team's been managed pretty well for the last 20, however many years," Belichick said Monday. "So I think we'll continue managing it in the way we've been competitive over the last 20 years and I expect we'll continue to be competitive."
Belichick further clarified his stance on Wednesday when speaking with the Boston Globe at LSU’s Pro Day workouts.
“We’re not resting on our past laurels; that’s not the message to the team or the fans,” Belichick said. “We have never operated that way and aren’t now.”
While some will still choose to misinterpret his message, Belichick is correct in his assessment. Wins have been less plentiful since the departure of legendary quarterback Tom Brady prior to the 2020 season. Still, New England has also fielded a competitive team for every season of Belichick's tenure, save for a 5-11 finish in 2000, his first year on the Patriots bench.
Belichick is not only the longest-tenured coach in the NFL, but also its second-oldest head coach, trailing only Pete Carroll (71) of the Seattle Seahawks. In October, he moved past former Chicago Bears head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer George Halas into sole possession of second place among all NFL coaches, continuing his pursuit of the record of 347 total wins held by fellow Don Shula. Belichick is also tied [with Shula] for first all-time among NFL head coaches, having led the Patriots to 19 playoff appearances.
Though his pursuit of Shula's record is clearly in his sights, Belichick remains cognizant of his need to guide the Pats back to their winning ways in short order -- a goal he continues to share with team owner Robert Kraft.
“I still believe in Bill,” Kraft said on Monday afternoon. “I think Bill is exceptional at what he does and I’ve given him the freedom to make the choices and do the things that need to be done. His football intellect and knowledge is unparalleled from what I’ve seen. Just when you talk to him, the small things analytically he looks at.
“But in the end, this is a business. You either execute and win or you don’t. That’s where we’re at. I think we’re in a transition phase.”
Kraft's words clearly display both a confidence in his coach, and a sense of urgency to deliver marked improvement. In turn, Belichick remains confident in his approach, while remembering that time can also be an ally.
“We haven’t snapped the ball. It’s March,” Belichick said. “Working on April for now, one month at a time."
Now that's the Bill Belichick we know.
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