Top Five Best Bill Belichick Press Conference Moments With Patriots

Bill Belichick is regarded as arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history and the greatest coach overall in United States professional sports. He’s a six-time Super Bowl champion and a sure-fire Hall of Famer.

However, the New England Patriots head coach also is known for his memorable press conferences. In fact, some fans, if they were being honest, would admit that Belichick’s podium demeanor is the first thing that comes to mind when they think about him.

From angrily snapping at reporters to joyously musing on NFL history to everywhere in between, Belichick’s press conferences occupy a fascinating, wide spectrum. And sifting through decades worth of content to pick out the best is no easy feat.

Nevertheless, here’s our ranking of the five most memorable press conference moments from Belchick’s Patriots career:

5. Open-Heart Surgery (2018)
This one gets overlooked, but it shouldn’t. Belichick was asked about Tom Brady’s toughness after the legendary quarterback battled through a gnarly thumb injury to win the 2017 AFC Championship Game. Ever one to downplay Brady’s heroics, Belichick infamously said, “We’re not talking about open-heart surgery here.” We later learned the comment irked Brady, who had become increasingly disillusioned with his hard-to-please boss. Brady, of course, left the Patriots just over two years later.

4. Seattle (2016)
Many people remember Belichick’s repeated use of “Seattle” in this clip. But many also forget why he was so on edge the morning of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. The night prior, then-candidate Donald Trump read a personal letter from Belichick during a campaign rally in New Hampshire. Belichick, knowing people would ask why he appeared to be supporting such a controversial candidate, addressed the situation during his opening statement the next morning. But reporters wanted more, prompting Belichick to stonewall while repeating “Seattle” in an attempt to shift the focus toward the Patriots’ looming game against the Seahawks. As you’ll see in the video, longtime Boston columnist Steve Buckley tried his best to keep Belichick on topic.

3. “On To Cincinnati” (2014)
Honestly, this one might be a bit overrated — but it has to be in here. The Patriots dropped to 2-2 after getting blown out, 41-14, by the Kansas City Chiefs on “Monday Night Football.” During his postgame press conference at Arrowhead Stadium, Belichick faced repeated questions about a perceived dip in Brady’s ability and the quality of weapons surrounding the star quarterback. But Belichick rebuked all attempts, instead focusing on preparations for New England’s Week 5 opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals. The Patriots eventually blew out the Bengals and went on to win Super Bowl XLIX.

2. Mona Lisa Vito (2015)
We’re not offering a history lesson on Deflategate. You can visit the scandal’s Wikipedia page if you really feel like going back down the NFL’s lamest rabbit hole. The focus here is Belichick’s second post-Deflategate news conference — the first also was incredible — which took place a few days before the Patriots traveled to Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX. Belichick took the podium ready to share information that he thought would absolve Brady and his team of any guilt relating to Deflategate. While making his case, Belichick famously said, “I would not say that I’m Mona Lisa Vito of the football world as she was in the car expertise area. All right?” He was referencing Marisa Tomei’s “My Cousin Vinny” character, who held a deep and useful knowledge of automobiles. The moment occurs at the 14:50 mark in the video below, but you really should watch the entire press conference.

1. The Long Snapper Soliloquy (2021)
This is an unorthodox pick, but we’re standing by it. Belichick rightfully is best known for his grumpy, unkempt approaches to press conferences. But the reality is that, when he wants to be, Belichick without question is the single best quote in the NFL. Never was that truer than early in the 2021 season, when Belichick was asked why teams roster specialist long snappers rather than simply cross-training a player at another position to do the job. What followed was an engaging, educational and thought-provoking 10-minute history lesson on long snappers and special teams. This moment tops our list because it’s an example of Belichick at his best, but also an example of what we’re missing when he insists on being at his worst.