Belichick is arguably the most successful head coach in sports history
The remarkable run of Bill Belichick as New England Patriots head coach can be summed up in a variety of ways, but the simplest might be to just open the team’s media guide.
The 2023 Patriots media guide devoted 11 — 11! — whole pages to Belichick’s legendary career ahead of his 24th season at the helm in Foxboro. Of course, that 24th season ultimately will be his final campaign leading the Patriots after reports Thursday that the two sides have decided to part ways.
Make no mistake about it: Belichick’s run as Patriots head coach is the greatest in the history of the NFL, and it might be the most accomplished run we’ve ever seen — or will ever see — in the history of modern professional team sports.
With the help of that very media guide, various other sources and unmistakable feats we know by heart at this point, here’s the (extremely long) list of Belichick’s accomplishments as Patriots coach.
–Six Super Bowl titles
–Nine AFC championship wins
–Thirteen AFC Championship Game appearances
–Seventeen division titles, including 11 straight from 2009 through 2019
–Sixteen division titles in 17 years, a streak broken only by the 2008 season in which Tom Brady tore his ACL in Week 1, and the Patriots still went 11-5 with Matt Cassel at quarterback.
–In 24 seasons as head coach, Belichick won 266 games regular-season games. Only Don Shula and George Halas have won more games in their entire careers.
–Belichick’s 266 wins as Patriots head coach are more than Marv Levy and Mike Ditka had combined for their entire careers.
–Belichick’s 31 career playoff wins are by far the most in NFL history. Andy Reid is second with 22.
Click here to enter a different Sportradar ID.
–Belichick’s nine Super Bowl appearances as a head coach are not only the most ever, but they’re the most of any coach ever including assistant coaching positions.
–The Patriots are the only team in NFL history to win at least one playoff game in eight consecutive seasons (2011-18), and from 2003 through 2007 New England rank tied for third on the same ranking.
–Belichick’s 13 conference championships as a head coach are three more than any other coach in NFL history.
–The Patriots had 19 straight winning seasons (in the salary cap era) from 2001 through 2019. Only Tom Landry has a longer streak (1966-85). There were 15 teams in the NFL in 1966.
–Named to NFL100 list as one of the best coaches in the NFL’s first 100 years. Belichick also was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and 2010s NFL All-Decade team.
–Belichick has won AP Coach of the Year three times in his career. Chuck Knox is the only other three-time winner.