During the 2018 NFL season, the Patriots were counted out and slept on week after week despite having basically the same roster as the previous two seasons.
We all learned what happens when you make the dynamic duo of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady underdogs in any game. It simply fuels their fire and now we’re about to witness the ninth Super Bowl the two have been in.
This Sunday, Brady and Belichick alone have not only been to nearly half the Super Bowls in the last 20 years, but can also tie the Steelers’ record of six Super Bowl wins which were acquired over 44 years.
Sure you can sit back and pout or get sick of seeing the Patriots always make the Super Bowl, but you have to respect the talent you’re witnessing from the greatest coach and quarterback of all time. There’s slim chance you will ever witness a head coach and quarterback stay together for this long, much less go to and win as many Super Bowls.
There’s a list of coaches and quarterbacks sports analysts and fans keep bringing into the best of all time conversation, but win or lose Sunday, that argument should be over.
For Belichick, his case can be made by simply looking at where Brady came from. The former Michigan quarterback declared for the draft with average college stats and results in the combine that were nothing to write home about.
The Patriots, however, selected him late in 2000 draft with the 199th of the sixth round and Belichick began to work his magic.
To see Brady evolve from an average quarterback in college to a now five-time Super Bowl champ and a three-time most valuable player speaks volumes of how well Belichick was able motivate and train him into becoming a superstar.
He’s also taken what he’s been given with his past Patriot teams and has made the most of them. Both defensive and offensive players have come and gone since he took the job in 2000, but he always knows how to worry about the present season rather than what he’ll be dealing with next season.
There’s been many great head coaches to lead their team in NFL history. Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers, Tom Landry for the Dallas Cowboys or Bill Walsh with the 49ers. I even saw an article that ranked Don Shula the number one head coach as he led the Miami Dolphins to the NFL’s only complete undefeated season including playoffs.
To be winning as much as Belichick is in this current era of extremely talented athletes, however, his resume is much more impressive to me in the greatest coach discussion.
In Brady’s case, I’ve already mentioned his Super Bowl wins and MVP’s, but if you need more convincing consider these records. He’s the winningest quarterback in NFL history with 232 wins, been to the most Super Bowls (Nine) and won the most as a quarterback (five) and has the most Super Bowl MVP’s with four.
It’s hard to argue against him at least being the greatest playoff quarterback in NFL history even though he’s also top four all-time in most regular season passing statistics. Brady helped extend the Patriots absurd streak of eight-straight trips to the AFC Championship game this year where they defeated the Chiefs.
In the regular season, of his 19 years in the league, Brady has led New England to 17 10-win seasons. One of those seasons was his rookie year in which he hardly played. From 2010 to 2017 Brady also won 12 games or more each year.
After reading these surface statistics, there shouldn’t be much debate to the greatest coach and quarterback in NFL history. It’s Belichick and Brady, end of story.
They have the task of facing the Rams this Sunday for the Super Bowl with the chance to further their legacy. I have an idea who’s going win, but I’m not here to predict the game, I’m here to tell you you’re witnessing a once in a century dynasty and that you can’t ever count out the goats.
