Many have tried to copy the New England Patriots’ model, but none have succeeded like them because there’s one thing they’ll never have: Bill Belichick.
The Patriots coach (and de facto general manager) built a dynasty with average players used to the best of their abilities and depth. And while other teams have tried to replicate that formula, former GM and Pats senior football advisor Floyd Reese doesn’t believe they’ll ever be able to do it.
“(The Patriots are) unique,” Reese recently said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, via 247 Sports. “It’s the only place of its kind in the league, probably will be the only place of its kind in the league from here on out.”
There are plenty of former Belichick associates in front offices around the NFL, and five of them, including the Detroit Lions’ Bob Quinn and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Jason Licht, are current GMs. They’ve tried to incorporate Belichick-ian methods into their team-building process, but Reese doesn’t believe that’s wise.
“Everybody that leaves there wants to emulate what you’re doing in New England, and as long as they can take Bill Belichick with them, they have a chance of emulating that,” Reese said. “But I doubt Bill’s going any place, and therefore you can take bits and pieces of it that are very well done, very good, and you can maybe add those to whatever it is you’re trying to do.
“But for you to leave there and try to copy what they’re doing would be a real mistake, and I think we’ve seen that attempt two or three times by coaches and by personnel people, GM-type guys. It’s unique, we’d all like to be that way. But you know what? There’s only one Bill Belichick.”
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
