Brady Poppinga: Malcolm Butler’s Pick Showed Why Bill Belichick Is All-Time Great

There’s a reason Bill Belichick is firmly in the conversation of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

The New England Patriots head coach is not just a football mastermind, but he also has become proficient in getting the most out of his players, former linebacker Brady Poppinga writes in his latest post for Football By Football. Malcolm Butler, for example, might have been one of the only people in the world expecting the Seattle Seahawks to pass with seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLIX, but his game-changing interception was something Belichick had prepared him for.

“The last play wasn’t just the deciding factor in the game, but it again showed why New England’s Bill Belichick is one of the greatest coaches in NFL history and the game’s No. 1 coach right now,” Poppinga writes. “Malcolm Butler had been given multiple opportunities to defend that same play in situational practice periods.”

Poppinga also pointed to wide receiver Julian Edelman, who has blossomed under Belichick.

“One player who represents Belichick’s coaching style and who made a strong contribution in the Patriots’ Super Bowl run is Julian Edelman. Not once did we see Edelman do anything outside of his natural play-making talents. Edelman burned the Seahawk defense with his quickness and deception. He was used in a manner that maximized his abilities.”