Bill Belichick

Belichick developed his football knowledge through his father, Steve Belichick, a longtime college coach and scout. He attended team meetings and film sessions with his father and learned to diagram complex plays before he became a teenager. Steve was also an assistant football coach at the University of North Carolina from 1953 to 1955 before spending more than three decades at the United States Naval Academy.

After graduating from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, Belichick attended Wesleyan University, where he played football, lacrosse, and squash. He served as captain of the lacrosse team during his senior year and graduated in 1975 with an undergraduate degree in economics.

Belichick began his professional coaching career with the Baltimore Colts in 1975. He later worked with the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos before joining the New York Giants in 1979. He became the Giants' defensive coordinator under head coach Bill Parcells in 1985, and his defenses featured Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor. The Giants won Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV during Belichick's tenure as defensive coordinator, with his defensive plan for the latter game later placed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Cleveland Browns hired Belichick as head coach in 1991. He held the position for five seasons and was dismissed after the 1995 season, when owner Art Modell announced that the franchise would move to Baltimore and become the Ravens. Belichick then reunited with Parcells as an assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for the New England Patriots in 1996, followed Parcells to the New York Jets in 1997, and became the Jets' head coach after the 1999 season. He resigned one day after being hired, writing, "I resign as HC of the NYJ," before announcing his departure at a press conference.

Robert Kraft hired Belichick as head coach of the New England Patriots in January 2000. After a difficult first season, Belichick turned to second-year quarterback Tom Brady when starter Drew Bledsoe suffered a season-ending injury in 2001. Brady led the Patriots to an 11-3 finish and a Super Bowl XXXVI victory over the St. Louis Rams, beginning a long-running coach-quarterback partnership and the franchise's championship era.

The Patriots won three titles in four seasons from 2001 through 2004, then returned to the Super Bowl in 2007 and became the first team to complete a 16-0 regular season. That season was overshadowed by Spygate, which resulted in a $500,000 league fine for Belichick, an additional Patriots fine, and the loss of a first-round draft pick. The team later faced Deflategate after the 2014 AFC Championship Game. Belichick was cleared of explicit wrongdoing, while the Patriots were fined and lost two future draft picks.

Belichick led the Patriots to further Super Bowl victories after the 2014, 2016, and 2018 seasons. Super Bowl LI included the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, as New England overcame a 25-point deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime. The Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII, giving Belichick his sixth title as a head coach. He also earned three Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year awards, in 2003, 2007, and 2010.

Tom Brady left New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020. The Patriots missed the playoffs that season, returned to the postseason in 2021, and then posted losing records in 2022 and 2023. After New England finished 4-13 in 2023, Belichick and the franchise agreed to part ways in January 2024.

After leaving New England, Belichick appeared as a guest commentator on ESPN programs and became a full-time guest on ManningCast, the Monday Night Football program hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning. His television work also included College GameDay and the football program Coach with Bill Belichick. He appeared as himself in football-related programming and played a funeral attendee in one episode of Rescue Me.

On December 11, 2024, the University of North Carolina named Belichick its head football coach on a five-year agreement. The appointment gave him an opportunity to coach in college football, a setting connected to his upbringing through his father's career. In his first season, North Carolina finished 4-8 overall and 2-6 in ACC play, while the defense held opponents to 21 points or fewer in four consecutive games.

Belichick was married to Debby Clarke from 1977 until their divorce in 2006. They have three children: Amanda, Stephen, and Brian.

Amanda played lacrosse at Wesleyan University and became the head coach of women's lacrosse at the College of the Holy Cross. Stephen played lacrosse and football at Rutgers University and later coached for the New England Patriots. Brian played lacrosse at Trinity College and also joined the Patriots, first as a scouting assistant and later as a coaching assistant and safeties coach.