Top 10 Moments from Bill Belichick’s Historic Patriots Career

Bill Belichick’s 24-year tenure as head coach and general manager of the New England Patriots has ended. The team gradually declined after cementing a second dynasty with their win in Super Bowl LIII, culminating in the worst season in Robert Kraft’s 30 years of ownership.

Much will be made in the coming months about whether Belichick can field a competent offense after failing to do so since Tom Brady’s last season with the team, and that speculation will be warranted. But when the dust settles, Belichick will be remembered by Patriots fans for his unprecedented success and the joy those achievements brought to millions of fans.

In honor of the modern football era’s greatest coach, here are my top 10 moments from Bill Belichick’s storied career.

10. Trick Plays in the 2014 AFC Divisional Round

Breaking convention is one of Bill Belichick’s trademarks, and few games showcased his evil genius like New England’s 2014 AFC Divisional Round win over the Ravens.

The defensive guru is relatively hands-off regarding offense, trusting his coordinators to do their jobs while providing feedback. But against a Baltimore squad that historically gave the Patriots trouble, Belichick knew his team would need some tricks up their sleeve.

Inspired by tactics he’d seen from the Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide earlier that season, Belichick met with his offensive staff and suggested their upcoming game plan include trick plays that could catch the Ravens’ disciplined defense off guard.

The first play, tagged “Baltimore,” was designed to stress communication by displacing receivers and deploying a four-man offensive line. 3rd down back Shane Vereen declared himself ineligible but lined up in the slot as if releasing into the pattern. Belichick knew that, instinctively, it would be hard for defenders to ignore such a prominent receiving threat, especially while deciphering such an uncommon look with limited time.

The coach’s hunch was right.

Blocking tight end Michael Hoomanuwanui, who lined up like a left tackle, snuck up the opposite seam uncovered, providing a much-needed spark with the offense down 14 points in the 3rd quarter.

Knowing it would be hard for Baltimore to defend the same tactic from a different look, the team installed a similar play called “Raven” and ran it three plays later. This time, Hoomanuwanui declared himself ineligible and lined up in the slot, with Julian Edelman catching another chunk play from the opposite seam.

The Patriots went back to “Baltimore” outside of the Red Zone for another big gain to Hoomanuwanui then cut their deficit to one possession shortly after.

In an effort to tie the game, Belichick and McDaniels simultaneously suggested a double pass, which the team nearly gave away during a Week 4 blowout loss in Kansas City. Belichick had been adamant since 2003, when David Given was intercepted on a fake reverse, that no one would throw a pass for New England with Brady at quarterback. However, feeling that the team needed more misdirection plays, Belichick conceded and gave former quarterback Julian Edelman a chance to sling it.

After catching what looked like a traditional bubble screen, Edelman floated a perfect pass to Danny Amendola for a 51-yard touchdown, causing an eruption from the fans at Gillette Stadium.

The Ravens’ offense managed one field goal for the rest of the game. Devin McCourty intercepted Joe Flacco on the next possession, Tom Brady seized the lead with a 23-yard touchdown to Brandon LaFell three drives later, and Duron Harmon closed things out with a game-sealing pick.

9. “On to Cincinnati.”

2014 marked the beginning of New England’s second dynasty, but many predicted their demise after the season’s first month.

After starting 2-1, a 41-14 blowout to the Chiefs sparked a media frenzy. Then-ESPN talent Trent Dilfer declared after the game that the Patriots weren’t good anymore, a sentiment many of his peers shared. With Tom Brady committing three turnovers in the loss and rookie Jimmy Garoppolo going 6-7 for 70 yards and a touchdown in clean-up duty, speculation arose over whether a change was coming at quarterback.

During a press conference the next week, Belichick was asked a series of questions about his team’s future, including whether Brady would be benched in their upcoming meeting with the Bengals. Belichick scoffed at the notion of benching his future Hall of Fame signal-caller and responded, “We’re on to Cincinnati,” five times.

The response quickly went viral and is still referenced a decade later, But more importantly, it marked a turning point for the Patriots, who proved they were still a force to be reckoned with in a 43-17 prime-time win over the Bengals.

New England wouldn’t lose again until the end of November in a thrilling road matchup against Aaron Rodgers’ Packers. Their only other defeat that season came in the finale against Buffalo, where Garoppolo played the entire 2nd half with the Patriots having clinched the AFC’s top seed.

8. “We’re on to Seattle.”

But their most significant meeting over that span was the 2014 AFC Championship game, a win that sent New England to its first Super Bowl since 2007 and eventually launched another dynasty. The game also led to the witchhunt known as Deflategate, but that’s a story for another article.

The Colts were coming off a decisive 24-13 win over the Broncos in the Divisional Round, while the Patriots had just overcome two 14-point deficits to beat the Ravens.

Luck’s team was expected to put up more of a fight after getting embarrassed 42-20 at home back in Week 11, but the game proved to be another heavy mismatch in New England’s favor.

Once again, the Patriots eclipsed 40 points, but the Colts managed just one score in a 45-7 beatdown. LeGarrette Blount ran for 148 yards and three touchdowns. Tom Brady threw for 226 yards and his own trio of touchdowns. Kyle Arrington locked up receiver T.Y. Hilton in a man-heavy game plan, holding the Pro Bowler to one catch on seven targets with deep help from Devin McCourty. Free agent steal Darelle Revis and second-year linebacker Jamie Collins both picked off passes, with Collins’ steal essentially icing the game.

After accepting the Lamar Hunt Trophy postgame, Belichick emphatically told CBS’ Jim Nantz, “We’re on to Seattle,” harkening back to his headline-grabbing quote from earlier in the season.

New England went on to beat the Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX, securing their fourth title in franchise history.

7. Taking the Wind

One of the most thrilling comebacks in NFL history began with one of the worst starts in Belichick’s tenure.

After starting the game with three consecutive fumbles against Peyton Manning’s Broncos, the first of which was returned for a touchdown, New England went into halftime down 24-0.  Facing such a deficit against any Manning-led team would seem insurmountable, but this Denver offense would eventually break the 2007 Patriots’ single-season scoring record and Tom Brady’s single-season passing touchdowns record. Some fans headed to their cars after the 1st half, but they would soon beg to return as New England surged back from sure defeat.

The Patriots offense scored touchdowns on each of their first four possessions to start the half, while the defense forced turnovers on two of the Broncos’ first three drives. Denver tightened up, holding New England to a field goal, scoring their only touchdown of the half, then trading punts to force overtime.

The football world expected the Patriots to take the opening kickoff. Instead, Belichick made the controversial decision to take the wind, which had been a significant factor throughout the game on a freezing night in Foxborough.

Manning and company received the ball to start overtime, but both the Broncos and Patriots were forced to punt after unsuccessful five-play drives. Denver then drove from their own 13-yard line to New England’s 37, but Jamie Collins forced a 3rd down stop, and the Broncos chose to punt rather than risk a field goal into the whistling wind.

The Patriots’ next drive lasted just four plays before lefty Ryan Allen came on to punt, but Manning and the Denver offense would never touch the field.

Returner and former Patriot Wes Welker called for teammates to clear the area on a short punt, but the decision came too late, and jammer Tony Carter didn’t get the message. The ball bounced off of Carter, and Nate Ebner recovered to set up a game-winning field goal.

It is still the greatest comeback in Patriots regular season history.

6. Bringing Rodney Harrison to the Ground Round

After the Patriots followed their first Super Bowl win by going 9–7 and missing the playoffs, Belichick was frustrated with his defense for not meeting his expectations. His solution? Bringing in one of football’s most infamous bad boys in safety Rodney Harrison. Many around the league considered Harrison a dirty player for his hard-hitting and hyper-aggressive play, but that style would endear him to his Patriots coaches and teammates.

Most thought the former All-Pro and Pro Bowler was washed up when he was released by the Chargers following the 2002 season, but Belichick saw a player with plenty of treads left on his tires and brought him in for a visit.

When Harrison flew out to New England, he expected to be wined and dined at one of the city’s finest establishments. Instead, he was driven by a Patriots staffer to a family-friendly sports grill called Ground Round, which no longer exists in the state of Massachusetts.

While being interviewed for 2004’s America’s Game, Harrison disclosed that Belichick’s attire matched the venue. The coach showed up with a “raggedy sweater on with this beat-up, holey pair of pants,” but in typical Belichick fashion, it was a meeting that prioritized substance over style.

The head coach and general manager told Harrison, “Hey, we want you,” and swayed him with just a look.

Harrison immediately established himself as a tone-setter on defense, even rattling Tom Brady at times during practices, and was voted a team captain. While his signing led to the release of beloved safety Lawyer Milloy, which sparked early-season controversy and led to a disastrous season opener, Harrison quickly helped bring the defense back to prominence and reclaim their Super Bowl title.

Harrison is now a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Belichick called Harrison a “Fantastic player, person, and great competitor,” as well as the best safety he’s ever coached and one of the best players he’s ever coached,  putting the defender on his all-time team behind Lawrence Taylor.

During a press conference this season, Belichick went in-depth on what made Harrison so special, saying, “[Rodney] could do it all. One of the most versatile players I’ve ever coached. He could cover. He really could play corner. He was a great blitzer. A great tackler. He was really hard to block in the running game, as a blitzer and on kickoff coverage. Very explosive. Two-hundred twenty pounds, whatever he was. He was a thumper. He was a contact player. Ran well. Very instinctive. He did a great job of disguising coverages. Worked well with his teammates.”

Harrison finished his Patriots career with two Super Bowl rings and a Second-team All-Pro nod. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2019 and is a member of New England’s 50th Anniversary Team, All-2000s Team, and All-Dynasty Team.

5. Almost Perfect

When thinking back to the Patriots’ undefeated regular season in 2007, most people’s minds understandably go to the team’s record-shattering offense. New England’s shrewd acquisitions of Randy Moss and Wes Welker proved to be ingenious moves. Moss revitalized his Hall of Fame career and became the first player in NFL history with 23 touchdown receptions, while Welker earned a household-name status and began his revolution of the slot receiver position.

With the deserved hype surrounding New England’s offense, it’s easy to forget that Belichick also fielded one of the league’s best defenses, ranking 4th in points per game allowed and yards per game allowed. Their efforts contributed to the team setting NFL records for the highest point differential in a single season (+315) and the most consecutive games with a 20-point margin of victory to start a season (4).

Despite having locked up the top seed in the AFC, Belichick kept his foot on the gas pedal and played his starters in the regular season finale against the Giants.

It was a more competitive game than many expected, and New England fell behind 28-16 early in the 3rd quarter before entering the 4th quarter down five points.

The Patriots battled back, with Tom Brady throwing his record-breaking 50th touchdown to pull ahead. The defense kept the momentum rolling by intercepting an Eli Manning pass, and the offense capitalized by punching in another touchdown on a nine-play drive to essentially ice the game.

The Giants would get the last laugh, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in football history in Super Bowl XLII, but no team before or since has repeated the remarkable feat achieved by Belichick’s 2007 squad. To this day, they own the bitter-sweet title of the greatest team not to win a Super Bowl.

4. Mr. 300

2023 was, to put it kindly, a rough season for the Patriots. But one of the few bright spots was their 29-25 upset of the Bills in Week 7, which snapped a four-game losing streak against the Bills that spanned two seasons.

New England exploited Buffalo’s disjointed pass protection with exotic pressure schemes. They harassed Josh Allen throughout the game and held him to a sub-100 passer rating for the first time since their first meeting in 2021.

Equipped with their best and healthiest offensive line combination all year, the Patriots’ offense passed for 272 yards, their second-best output of the season, and ran for nearly 100.

The Bills turned a fumble recovery into six points to take a late lead, but Mac Jones responded with a clinical two-minute drive, hitting Mike Gesicki in the back of the end zone to ice the game.

The win gave Belichick his 300th regular season victory as a head coach, making him just the 3rd person in NFL history to accomplish the feat. In a tumultuous season, it was a nice reminder of Belichick’s dominance and consistency over two decades.

3. First to Five

The Patriots’ improbable comeback in Super Bowl LI, the first Super Bowl ever to reach overtime, featured 30 records that were either broken or tied, including:

• The largest deficit overcome by New England in franchise history
• The largest deficit overcome to win a Super Bowl in NFL history
• The largest 4th-quarter comeback in NFL playoff history
• The most Super Bowl wins by a single quarterback in Tom Brady.

The win also pushed Belichick past Steelers great Chuck Noll for the most Super Bowl wins by a head coach.

Belichick’s game plan, which has since leaked online, emphasized keys like starting fast, stopping the pass, eliminating star receiver Julio Jones, eliminating big plays, and winning the turnover battle. Through the game’s first three quarters, New England failed miserably.

The defense allowed a 37-yard run on their first play. Julio Jones caught three passes in the 2nd quarter alone, each going for big gains. Matt Ryan went 13-16 for 202 yards through three quarters, including three explosive completions and a pair of touchdowns. Making matters even worse, New England’s offense turned the ball over twice, including a pick-six.

But Belichick’s team turned the tide down in a stunning show of resiliency, climbing back from a 28-3 deficit.

After allowing an 85-yard touchdown drive early in the 3rd quarter, the Patriots defense wouldn’t allow another point the rest of the game.

Tom Brady and company scored a touchdown and a field goal in consecutive possessions after going three-and-out to start the 2nd half. Their defense responded with a heads-up strip sack from Dont’a Hightower that completely changed the course of the game. New England never relinquished their momentum and scored three unanswered touchdowns, with Brady putting together one of the most clutch late-game performances of his storied career.

Super Bowl LI wasn’t the finest performance from a Belichick-coach team, but it was a hallmark of situational awareness, mental toughness, and solidarity.

2. The Joy of Six

The lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history may have been Belichick’s finest work as Patriots head coach, with New England holding the league’s most explosive offense to a field goal.

LA’s league-high 401 first downs during the regular season were 13 more than any other team. blowing past the franchise record of 380 set by the Greatest Show on Turf in 2000. All-Pro Todd Gurley led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns, and only Patrick Mahomes had more completions of 20+ yards than Pro Bowler Jared Goff.

Most expected a shootout between two of the league’s top-scoring offenses, with the Rams ranking 2nd at 32.9 points per game and the Patriots ranking 4th with 27.3 points per game. Instead, the world was treated to a rock fight dominated by defense.

Belichick used a rarely-seen six-man defensive front with a heavy dose of split-field zones to counter LA’s Shananian scheme, which used wide zone runs to set up shots off of play action. This was a significant departure from New England’s traditionally man-heavy scheme, but it forced runs into the teeth of the defense while giving safeties leverage against deep routes. It worked to devastating effect.

The Rams managed 3.4 yards per carry after averaging 4.9 during the regular season. Goff was sacked four times and earned a 57.9 passer rating.

A tremendous effort from Jason McCourty prevented what should’ve been an easy score to former Patriot Brandin Cooks, and a 4th quarter interception from Stephon Gilmore set up an eventual game-winning field goal.

The win tied Belichick with Bears legend George Halas and Packers legend Curly Lambeau, who preceded the Super Bowl era, for the most championships by a head coach in NFL history.

1. Always Remember Your First

Super Bowl LIII may have been the best game plan of Belichick’s career, but his blueprint against the 2001 Rams’ Greatest Show on Turf is right up there, and it might’ve carried even more weight. The win that launched New England’s first dynasty also set the tone for the Patriots’ defense throughout Belichick’s tenure: a smart, tough unit that forced offenses to play left-handed.

With the Rams entering the game as heavy favorites, many expected St. Louis to steamroll their opponent and win their second championship in three years. But Belichick’s squad had other plans.

The Patriots countered the Ram’s historic speed and athleticism with physicality, playing a heavy dose of man coverage and hitting Hall of Fame dual-threat Marshall Faulk anytime he released into a route.

The Patriots’ front harassed league MVP Kurt Warner, sacking him three times, and held Marshall Faulk to just 75 rushing yards. The defense also picked off a pair of passes, with Ty Law returning an interception 47 yards for a touchdown. Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, one of the greatest receiving duos ever, managed fewer than 60 receiving yards each on the night.

St. Louis took a late lead with a pair of 4th quarter touchdowns, but Tom Brady orchestrated his first of many epic game-winning drives for a walk-off win.

Belichick’s defense held one of the greatest offenses the league has ever seen to just 17 points, Brady wrote the first chapter of his legendary pro career, and a Patriots franchise that had never hoisted a Lombardi Trophy was officially on the map.