Few coaches in the NFL have achieved as much success and recognition as Bill Belichick‘s football coach career. He sits comfortably among the Top 10 greatest NFL coaches of all time. Belichick, who turned 72 in 2024, remains committed to the sport as he was when his coaching career began in 1975. Since 1975 until he left the New England Patriots in 2023, Bill Belichick has coached seven teams in the NFL.
Within these 48 years, Belichick won eight Super Bowl championships (six as head coach and two as assistant coach)—an NFL record. Over the years, Belichick has earned a reputation for his cerebral approach to the game and his ability to maximize player potential. Honoring one of the NFL’s greatest coaches, here’s a look at Bill Belichick’s career highlights.
1975: Baltimore Colts
Bill Belichick was raised in a football-centric family. His father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant football coach and scout at the U.S. Naval Academy. Belichick’s exposure to football from a young age greatly influenced his chosen career as a football coach. After graduating with an economics degree from Wesleyan University in 1975, Bill Belichick began his professional coaching career that same year. With the late Ted Marchibroda as head coach of the Baltimore Colts at the time, Bill Belichick joined the Colts as a special assistant coach. Belichick was reportedly paid $25 weekly, an estimated $147 in 2024. Bill Belichick stayed with the Colts for only a season, leaving in 1976.
1976: Detroit Lions
Bill Belichick joined the Detroit Lions as assistant special teams coach. Although he wasn’t the head coach, Belichick’s attention to detail and relentless work ethic were recognized. By the following year, Belichick’s duties were expanded to coaching wide receivers and tight ends in addition to being the assistant special teams coach. Bill Belichick left the Detroit Lions by the end of the 1977 season.
1978: Denver Broncos
Bill Belichick joined the Denver Broncos in the 1978 season. He was hired as their assistant special teams coach and defensive assistant. While his position had little impact on the team’s strategies, Belichick stayed committed to developing individual players’ abilities. In addition to his role as assistant special teams coach and defensive assistant, Belichick also served the Broncos as their director of films. Belichick left the Denver Broncos by the end of the 1978 season.
1979–1990: New York Giants
Bill Belichick joined the New York Giants in 1979, the same year the Giants hired Ray Perkins as their head coach. Belichick was hired as special teams coordinator and defensive assistant. His exemplary work in the defense saw him become the linebackers coach in 1980. He combined all of these duties for the next four years. By 1985, Bill Belichick was promoted to defensive coordinator.
Belichick served as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator from 1985 to 1990, with Bill Parcells as the Giants’ head coach. With Bill Parcells as head coach and Belichick as defensive coordinator, the New York Giants won two Super Bowl championships—Super Bowl XXI (1986) and Super Bowl XXV (1990). Belichick left the Giants on a high note. Bill Belichick’s defensive game plan, which led to the Giants’ upset and Super Bowl XXV win, is included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bill Belichick spent 12 years with the New York Giants.
1991–1995: Cleveland Browns
Bill Belichick joined the Cleveland Browns in 1991, looking for a new challenge. His later success with the Giants quickly helped raise his coaching profile. Bill Belichick’s first job as head coach was with the Cleveland Browns. He served as head coach from 1991 to 1995. Overall, Belichick’s time as head coach of the Cleveland Browns wasn’t successful. However, he had a controversial year in 1993 after he left the Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar midway through the season.
Bernie Kosar, who was signed two days later by the Dallas Cowboys, joined his new team to win Super Bowl XXVIII, although as a backup. However, it was not all gloom during Belichick’s time with the Cleveland Browns. In 1994, Belichick led the team to the playoffs and defeated the New England Patriots in the Wild Card Round. Interestingly, in his lone victory against the New England Patriots, his former boss, Bill Parcells, coached the Patriots.
With his time as the Cleveland Browns’ head coach generally tumultuous, Bill Belichick was fired after the 1995 season. At the time, the Browns relocated to Baltimore to become the Ravens. Belichick was fired despite being assured to take over as the Ravens’ head coach. Although Belichick’s time with the Cleveland Browns was seen as a failure by many, it laid the groundwork for his future success. It gave Belichick the needed lessons and leadership skills that defined his coaching career.
1996: New England Patriots
Having been fired by the Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell, Bill Parcells offered Bill Belichick a job as assistant head coach & defensive backs coach with the Patriots. Parcells and Belichick not only finished the 1996 season with an 11–5 record, they also won the AFC Championship. However, the New England Patriots were defeated by a score of 35–21 by the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers at the Super Bowl XXXI. After the 1996 season, Bill Belichick and head coach Bill Parcells left the New England Patriots.
1997–1999: New York Jets
Bill Belichick spent most of his time with the New York Jets as the assistant head coach & defensive coordinator. He worked under his longtime boss, Bill Parcells. However, on two occasions, Belichick served as the Jets head coach, albeit the first time being in an interim position. Although Belichick and Parcells sought to leave the New England Patriots, Parcells was still legally bound by contract to the Patriots. During that time, the Jets and Patriots worked to resolve Parcells’ contract, and Bill Belichick served as the New York Jets coach. However, he never coached a game during this period.
The highlight of Bill Belichick’s time with the New York Jets came at the very end. After the 1999 season, Bill Parcells was looking to step down as the Jets’ head coach. Unsurprisingly, he recommended Bill Belichick to take his place. The Jets announced Bill Belichick would be head coach for the 2000 season. However, in a shocking turn of events, Belichick resigned after only being the Jets’ head coach for a day.
While waiting to address the media about his new job as the Jets’ head coach, Bill Belichick reportedly scribbled his resignation letter on a napkin (“I resign as HC of the NYJ”). Bill Belichick had been offered a job as head coach for the New England Patriots. Although he was head coach for a day, Belichick was still contractually bound to the Jets. As compensation, the Patriots offered a 2000 first-round draft pick in exchange for Belichick.
2000–2023: New England Patriots
With all the drama behind him, Bill Belichick resumed as the New England Patriots’ head coach. This would mark the beginning of one of the most dominant dynasties in NFL history. Although Belichick’s first season with the Patriots was lackluster, with the team finishing 5–11, Belichick’s legacy began in earnest in the 2001 season. Bill Belichick made one of his career’s biggest decisions, starting an unheralded sixth-round draft pick, Tom Brady, after starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured.
Under Belichick’s guidance, Tom Brady became one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history. In the 2001 season, the Patriots finished 11–5 in the regular season and shocked the NFL world by defeating the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. Bill Belichick led the Patriots to their first-ever Super Bowl championship. The win began the Patriots’ incredible run of dominance in the 2000s.
With the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick won six Super Bowl championships (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII). Bill Belichick was New England Patriots’ head coach for 24 seasons. With his 266 wins during that period, Bill Belichick is the most successful Patriot coach in the team’s history. After a mutual, respectful agreement, Bill Belichick announced on January 11, 2024, that he was leaving the New England Patriots. Although he’s yet to land another coaching job since his exit, Bill Belichick made headlines in June 2024 for his 48-year age-gap relationship with Jordon Hudson.
Follow Us
