NFL: Each team’s greatest head coach in franchise history

New England Patriots: Bill Belichick (2000-Present)

It may be hard for younger fans to grasp this, but prior to 2000, the New England Patriots weren’t the powerhouse they are today.

They had their moments, such as when Raymond Berry took them to Super Bowl XX, where they lost to the Chicago Bears, 46-10. They returned to the big game in 1997 for Super Bowl XXXI, but Bill Parcells and his squad were knocked off by a score 35-21 to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

Things changed when the century did though, as the Patriots haven’t had a losing season since 2000, which was Bill Belichick’s first year as their head coach. Following a 5-11 finish that season, Belichick led his team to an 11-5 mark and they won Super Bowl XXXVI. At the time, he pulled that off with an unknown back up quarterback by the name of Tom Brady.

Since then, all they have done is win. The Patriots have not only had a winning record every season since 2001, but they also have won double-digits in every year during that span outside of one — which was their 9-7 mark in 2002. Despite their losing season in 2020, there is no questioning how much of a legendary impact Belichick has had on the Patriots.

Belichick, who won two Super Bowls as a defensive coordinator under Parcells with the New York Giants, led New England to six Super Bowl wins which ties the record for the most wins in a franchise’s history. It’s also the record for a coach as well as a quarterback, as he and Brady have been nothing but magic when together.