Hoodie Out: Patriots Coach Bill Belichick Exit Highlights Flurry of Coaching Changes
Say good bye to the Hoodie … at least for now.
Bill Belichick’s days as Head Coach of the New England Patritos are officially over. The two sides have agreed to part ways after 24 years.
Thus ends a remarkable run of success for Belichick and the Patriots. Six Super Bowl titles; nine trips to the Big Game; 13 AFC Championship game appearances, and 17 division titles. Of course you can’t talk about Belichick without mentioning Tom Brady. Without Brady there is a good chance that Belichick never accomplishes his records at New England.
Before Brady strolled onto the field at that fateful afternoon for an injury Drew Bledsoe, Belichick was 5-13 as Patriots head coach. Together Brady and Belichick won 249 games, with a .769 winning percentage.
Without Brady, Belichick was 84-103.
Of course controversy also followed Belichick. Known for his stern poker face, and “grumpy” persona, Belichick’s Patriots became entangled in two scandals: Spygate and Deflategate.
Spygate cost Belichick $500,000 and a first round pick in 2008, but it also dented the Patriots reputation. Many people — even out of sheer conspiracy — started looking at the Patriots seemingly unbeatable accomplishments sideways.
Deflategate didn’t necessarily ensnare Belichick, but it did lead to a four-game suspension for Tom Brady in 2016. Ironically the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl that same season.
Still past the hoodie, and the persona there was a soft side to Belichick. His players and coaches were loyal to him; many coached different stints for him like Josh McDaniels, Bill O’Brien and Matt Patricia. Belichick even had a sense of humor. IN 2020 during the COVID-locked down NFL Draft, he had his dog sit in his seat at the draft “war-room” kitchen.
You can’t knock the accomplishments. Belichick stands at 333 wins all time. He has shown no signs of slowing down, and many believe he will land elsewhere to chase Don Shula’s record.
The Atlanta Falcons have been interested in landing Bill Belichick for weeks, per sources. Belichick isn't the only candidate they are targeting.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 11, 2024
NICK SABAN
Oddly enough, a Belichick protégée, Nick Saban, ended his long successful tenure as Head Coach at Alabama, retiring on Wednesday. Saban went to Tuscaloosa in 2009 and turned a once proud program steeped in tradition into a powerhouse once again. Saban won 189 games and lost only 27. He also captured six of his seven National Titles with the Crimson Tide.
It’s hard to believe that Saban retired from the sport just hours prior to Belichick leaving New England. Way back in the mid-90s they coached together at the Cleveland Browns when Belichick was starting out as a head coach, and Saban was a defensive coordinator.
PETE CARROLL
And of course you can’t talk about Belichick and Saban without talking about Pete Carroll. Carroll was dismissed as Seattle Seahawks head coach after 14 seasons. He won a Super Bowl. Could have won a second were it not for a bad play call on the goal line between Carroll’s Seahawks and Belichick’s Patriots in 2015.
Carroll leaves Seattle as one of three coaches to win both a National Title and Super Bowl as a head coach joining Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. He departs as the winningest coach in Seahawks history with 137 wins.
Carroll’s road to Seattle began in 1994 when he had one failed season as Head Coach of the New York Jets. In 1997 he became the Patriots head coach replacing Bill Parcells, who was traded to Gang Green that same winter, starting up the Jets-Patriots rivalry as we know it today.
Ironically when Carroll was dismissed after the 1999 season, Belichick replaced him in Foxboro. Carroll then went to USC where he had his share of both great success and controversy in Southern California.
With the Seahawks, Carroll coached the famed “Legion of Boom” defense, and had Russell Wilson playing at a Hall of Fame level.
