Belichick’s experience, mentors shape success
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Bill Belichick, the greatest coach in NFL history, listened to the breathless reporter’s question and responded in his typical monotonous fashion.
“Coach, what’s the difference in this Super Bowl and the others?”
Belichick quickly replied without changing expression. “It’s in Minnesota,” he said. Then, after a brief hesitation, Belichick smirked.
Later, Belichick was asked if the daily media sessions are the worst part of the Super Bowl for him.
“I enjoy all parts of the Super Bowl,” he said. “I’m just glad to be working this week. The last thing I want to do is to be sitting at home while this is going on with some other team.
“It’s very exciting to be here.
It’s a challenge to play the Eagles. We’ve faced challenges all year.”
New England’s game Sunday against Philadelphia at U.S. Bank Stadium will be Belichick’s 10th Super Bowl, including his eighth as a head coach. He’s experienced the Super Bowl week routine so many times, you would think there’s no question he hasn’t been asked at least once.
But there was. Two, at least. And they seemed to make him cringe.
Super Bowl absurdities
The first came when Belichick was asked if he had any Super Bowl tickets a reporter could have. And we use “reporter” loosely.
The second came when Belichick was asked why he doesn’t smile more and if he would smile if he got tickled.
At one point, Belichick gave that trademark smirk and answered another ridiculous question with, “You ought to be on TV as a comedian.”
Belichick won’t be smiling unless the Patriots defeat the Eagles. Nobody is more serious about the Super Bowl than Belichick. He’s won seven rings — his first two as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants (Super Bowls XXI and XXV).
As Patriots head coach, Belichick has won five Super Bowls after the 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014 and 2016 seasons. They lost two to the Giants after the 2007 and 2011 seasons.
“You have to earn this trip,” he said. “You can’t get it any other way.”
The Patriots finished 13-3 in the regular season and defeated Tennessee and Jacksonville in the divisional round and AFC Championship Game, both at Gillette Stadium.
“It’s not easy to win 15 games in this league,” Belichick said. “It feels good to do it as a team. It’s a good mix of guys. They work hard and get along together, and I’m happy for them. Our goal is to play and coach as well as we can.”
If the Patriots beat the Eagles, they’ll win a third Super Bowl in four years for a second time. That would give Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady 28 playoff victories and twice as many as the next-most prolific coach-quarterback combination — Pittsburgh’s Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw.
Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz knows Belichick well. Schwartz got his first NFL job in 1993 when Belichick hired him as an assistant in Cleveland’s scouting department.
Schwartz spent three years learning from Belichick before he moved to Baltimore and became linebackers coach (199698).
During his three seasons on Belichick’s staff, Schwartz worked with Nick Saban, Ozzie Newsome, Scott Pioli, Kirk Ferentz, Tom Dimitroff, Mike Lombardi, Mike Tannenbaum, Phil Savage and Eric Mangini, among others.
“At the time, you don’t think about all the special people you’re around because you’re in the moment and just working,” Schwartz said. “It’s one of those things you look back on 25 years later and see the success everyone’s had, and it wasn’t by mistake. We all owe it to Bill. He shaped our careers. All those people are better at their jobs because of the program Bill had in place during those times. We owe him a lot.”
Preparation is paramount
And Schwartz learned a lot from Belichick that helped him coach 10 years with Tennessee before becoming head coach at Detroit.
“The biggest thing is preparation,” Schwartz said. “Bill taught us that everything that touches the team is important. There’s not a detail that’s not important. You need to plan for every possibility.
“We worked an awful lot of hours and realized it doesn’t come easy in this league. The preparation and detail he showed kind of shaped the way my career and a lot of other careers went.”
Schwartz has watched coaches come and go at New England, including the loss of offensive and defensive coordinators, but the Patriots continue to win. The constants are Belichick and Brady.
“One of the things that’s a hallmark of Bill is that he adapts with the times,” Schwartz said. “He’s really good at what he does, and he works really hard at it.
“One thing I don’t like about that label is that genius makes it seem like it just comes easy. Bill’s the product of a lot of hard work. I saw it firsthand. I saw the sacrifices he made and the hard work he put into everything.”
Belichick’s only losing season with the Patriots was his first one. They were 5-11 in 2000. He had not had a losing record since Brady became his starting quarterback in 2001.
Belichick, 65, is the first to admit he owes so much to the coaches he learned from, beginning with his late father, Steve, a longtime college coach who earned notoriety as an assistant at Navy.
“I’ve been influenced by a lot of coaches,” he said. “Growing up at the Naval Academy, a lot of great coaches went through there like (Wayne) Hardin, Lee Corso and Nick Saban that I met and learned from, and certainly, my dad would be at the top of the list.”
Belichick also mentioned four NFL head coaches who hired him: Ted Marchibroda (Baltimore), Rick Forzano (Detroit), Ray Perkins (Giants) and Bill Parcells (Giants).
When he was growing up in Annapolis and learning from his father and other coaches at Navy, Belichick was a sponge, soaking up everything he could about coaching. What he learned back then has served him well as Patriots coach.
“It started from my childhood,” he said. “When I think about the Naval Acadmy, I think about discipline and toughness from watching guys like (running back Joe) Bellino and (quarterback Roger) Staubach.”
Bellino and Staubach were Heisman Trophy winners in 1960 and 1963.
“Everybody was tough, unselfish, disciplined, came early and stayed late and did their job,” Belichick said. “That’s how I thought you did the job. I learned a lot of lessons from them, and I don’t see it any other way.”
Join the family business
Just as Belichick got to learn from his father growing up, he employs his two sons on his staff.
Steve Belichick, the oldest son, coaches safeties. This is his sixth season with the Patriots.
Brian is in his second season, his first as a coach. He’s listed as a coaching assistant.
“It’s been a great experience,” Belichick said. “I kind of got to do that with my dad a little. That was pretty special. When you’re a coach and you put in a lot of time and travel all the time, you miss some experiences with your kids. This is an opportunity to experience some things together on a daily basis.
“I’m not saying we’re making up for lost time, but not every father and son gets to do this. I appreciate the opportunity to do that with Brian and Stephen. It’s been special.”