Bill Belichick is widely considered the greatest coach in professional football history.
Belichick’s NFL career includes time with the Detroit Lions; Denver Broncos; New York Giants, where he won two Super Bowls (1987, 1991) as defensive coordinator; Cleveland Browns; and New York Jets. However, he is best known for his 24 seasons as head coach of the New England Patriots. He led the team to six Super Bowl titles (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, and 2019), the most for an NFL head coach.
With New England, Belichick became known for unconventional football moves and for building teams with overlooked players who thrived in his system—the most notable example of which is quarterback Tom Brady. The Patriots were also involved in several scandals during Belichick’s tenure. These include “Deflategate.” During a playoff game in the 2014–15 season, the Patriots were caught using deflated balls, a violation of NFL rules; underinflated balls are easier to grip and travel farther when thrown.
In 2023, after a losing season, Belichick was fired as head coach of New England. In December 2024 he signed a five-year contract to become head coach of the University of North Carolina football team.