For Belichick, being bold has always been in his DNA
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Back in 2001, before he had won six Super Bowls and become known as the greatest coach in modern NFL history, Bill Belichick showed the world what kind of coach he was.
Franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe was cleared to come back from injury before a Week 10 game against the Rams. The Patriots were only 5-4 at the time, but they were 5-2 with youngster Tom Brady leading the team.
Belichick wasn’t afraid to listen to his gut. He didn’t succumb to outside pressure. He made the bold — some would say risky — move and stuck with the kid.
“There were a lot of people saying, ‘What the hell are they thinking?’ But that’s the way he thinks,” former offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said. “Well, how did that one turn out?”
Belichick has never been afraid to be bold, whether it’s cutting Lawyer Milloy on the eve of the regular season, or trading Logan Mankins at the end of training camp, or acquiring noted locker room malcontent Randy Moss. Not all of his moves work out, but Belichick has never been afraid to swing big.
“I’ve never known Bill Belichick not to be aggressive,” former Giants quarterback Phil Simms said. “He’s not afraid, and that’s just one reason why he’s a great coach.”
Yet Belichick enters 2021 with plenty to prove. That he can win without Brady; that he can still
build a championship-caliber team; and that his bold decisions, such as spending big in free agency and entrusting the team to a rookie quarterback, will work out.
The 2021 offseason may have been Belichick’s most daring yet. He dominated headlines in free agency, spending a record $175 million fully guaranteed on more than 20 players. Belichick gave record-setting contracts to not one, but two tight ends, Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry. He imported anywhere from nine to 13 new starters from a year ago. The Patriots went from having the 31st-highest payroll last year ($160.7 million) to the third-highest this year ($233.2 million).
In April, Belichick continued making bold moves, doing something he had never done in 26 previous seasons as an NFL head coach — draft a quarterback in the first round, taking Mac Jones 15th overall.
And for his piece de resistance, Belichick on Aug. 31 named Jones his starting quarterback and released presumed starter Cam Newton, thinning the depth chart and putting all of the team’s faith in a rookie.
“Bill Belichick is making one of the boldest moves I’ve seen him make in quite some time,” said CBS commentator Nate Burleson, a former 11-year NFL receiver. “I wouldn’t count out the Patriots. I know they had a down year last year, but I would bet they don’t have two bad years in a row.”
None of this happened in a vacuum, of course. Belichick needed to be bold following a 2020 season that owner Robert Kraft termed “horrible.” In their first year without Brady, the Patriots missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons.
All of the Patriots’ warts were exposed. Their roster, especially on offense, was one of the worst in the league. Belichick’s handpicked quarterback, Newton, was a dud. Belichick, perhaps feeling the heat during the 2020 season, uncharacteristically offered excuses about the salary cap and other budgetary restraints. Whether Brady’s success was a driving force behind Belichick’s offseason splurging, Belichick clearly knew he couldn’t have a repeat of 2020.
The Patriots certainly look more competitive entering 2021, thanks to what Riddick calls “staple” Belichick moves. Belichick improved the team from the inside-out, bringing in two starting tight ends, reinforcements on the offensive line, and several bodies at defensive tackle and linebacker.
Building a team primarily through free agency generally hasn’t worked in the past — “We always used to make fun of the people who made the headlines in March,” Kraft quipped this offseason — but Belichick has never been afraid to go against the grain.
Belichick will go down as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, and he may finish with all of the records. He already owns the most Super Bowl trophies (six), and is just 36 wins away (including postseason) from tying Don Shula at 347.
“You ask me if he was happy going 7-9? No, but I think the day that season was over he was already on his way with a plan on how to right the ship,” Weis said. “I think he took advantage of the situation like no one else. He made his team stronger — by leaps and bounds — and put them in a position to contend again very quickly.”