Career Timeline of Bill Belichick: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Bill Belichick made an impact.

Bill Belichick is an American football coach, considered one of the greatest of all time. He is renowned for his success with the New England Patriots, where he won a record six Super Bowls as head coach. He also won two Super Bowls as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. Belichick holds numerous coaching records and is regarded as a football historian, known for his deep understanding of the game. He played a central role in the Patriots' dynasty from 2001 to 2019, functioning as both head coach and de facto general manager.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1975: Start of Coaching Career

In 1975, Bill Belichick began his coaching career as an assistant for the Baltimore Colts.

1975: Assistant to Baltimore Colts Head Coach

In 1975, after graduating, Bill Belichick took a $25-per-week job as an assistant to Baltimore Colts head coach Ted Marchibroda.

1976: Assistant Special Teams Coach for the Detroit Lions

In 1976, Bill Belichick joined the Detroit Lions as their assistant special teams coach.

1977: Coaching Duties Expanded with Detroit Lions

In 1977, Bill Belichick's coaching duties with the Detroit Lions expanded to include tight ends and wide receivers.

January 9, 1978: Dismissal from the Detroit Lions

On January 9, 1978, Bill Belichick was dismissed along with head coach Tommy Hudspeth and the rest of the coaching staff from the Detroit Lions.

1979: Joins New York Giants Coaching Staff

In 1979, Bill Belichick began a 12-year stint with the New York Giants as a defensive assistant and special teams coach under head coach Ray Perkins.

1980: Added Linebackers Coaching to Duties

In 1980, Bill Belichick added linebackers coaching to his duties with the New York Giants.

1983: Bill Parcells Replaces Ray Perkins as Head Coach

In 1983, Bill Parcells replaced Ray Perkins as the head coach of the New York Giants, where Bill Belichick was coaching.

1985: Defensive Coordinator for the New York Giants

In 1985, Bill Belichick became the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants under head coach Bill Parcells.

1985: Named Defensive Coordinator

In 1985, Bill Belichick was named defensive coordinator for the New York Giants under head coach Bill Parcells.

1986: Giants Win Super Bowl XXI

Following the 1986 season, the New York Giants, with Bill Belichick as defensive coordinator, won Super Bowl XXI.

1990: Giants Win Super Bowl XXV

Following the 1990 season, the New York Giants, with Bill Belichick as defensive coordinator, won Super Bowl XXV.

1991: Becomes Head Coach of Cleveland Browns

In 1991, Bill Belichick became the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

1992: Dallas Cowboys won three of four Super Bowls

In 1992, the Dallas Cowboys began a period where they won three of four Super Bowls, a feat matched by Bill Belichick as the only coach to accomplish it with one team.

1994: Leads Browns to Playoffs

In 1994, Bill Belichick led the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs, his only winning year with the team.

1995: Firing from the Cleveland Browns

Following the 1995 season, Bill Belichick was fired as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

1995: Dallas Cowboys won three of four Super Bowls

In 1995, the Dallas Cowboys completed a period where they won three of four Super Bowls, a feat matched by Bill Belichick as the only coach to accomplish it with one team.

February 14, 1996: Fired by the Cleveland Browns

On February 14, 1996, Bill Belichick was fired as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

1996: Possible Draft of Ray Lewis

In 1996, Bill Belichick had planned on drafting Ray Lewis in the NFL draft if he and the team stayed in Cleveland.

1996: Assistant Head Coach for the New England Patriots

In 1996, after his dismissal by the Cleveland Browns, Bill Belichick served under Bill Parcells again as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach with the New England Patriots.

February 1997: Named Jets Interim Head Coach

In February 1997, Bill Belichick was named the New York Jets interim head coach while the Jets and Patriots negotiated compensation for Bill Parcells.

1999: Arranged Succession

After the 1999 season, Bill Parcells had arranged with team management to have Bill Belichick succeed him as head coach.

January 4, 2000: Resigns from Jets Head Coach Position

On January 4, 2000, Bill Belichick resigned as head coach of the New York Jets, one day after his hiring was publicized.

January 27, 2000: Hired as Patriots Head Coach

On January 27, 2000, Bill Belichick accepted the head coaching job for the New England Patriots.

2000: Hired as Patriots Head Coach

In 2000, Bill Belichick was introduced as the Patriots' 12th full-time head coach after a deal with the Jets involving draft pick compensation.

2001: Beginning of Patriots Dynasty

In 2001, Bill Belichick was a central figure as the head coach and de facto general manager during the New England Patriots' dynasty.

2002: Patriots miss the playoffs

In 2008, the Patriots missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002 despite going 11-5, losing on tiebreakers to the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens.

2003: Patriots Win Divisional Title

In 2003, Bill Belichick led the Patriots to win a divisional title.

2004: Patriots win Super Bowl XXXIX

In 2004, the Patriots finished with a 14–2 record, defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round, and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. They won Super Bowl XXXIX against the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming only the second team to win three Super Bowls in four years. Bill Belichick is the only coach to accomplish this feat as of 2004.

2005: Belichick becomes the winningest coach in Patriots history

In 2005, the Patriots went 10–6 and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round before losing to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. With a season-opening win over the Oakland Raiders, Belichick notched his 54th win with the Patriots, passing Mike Holovak as the winningest coach in Patriots history.

2006: Patriots regular season wins streak

From 2006-2008, the Patriots achieved a regular season wins streak that contributed to breaking their own record for consecutive regular season wins with 21.

2006: Patriots lose to Colts in AFC Championship Game

In 2006, the Patriots finished with a 12–4 record and defeated the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers in the playoffs before losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship by a score of 38–34. The Patriots led 21–3 but the Colts mounted a comeback.

2007: Patriots achieve perfect regular season

In 2007, Belichick led the Patriots to the first perfect regular season since the introduction of the 16-game regular season schedule. They defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers in the playoffs but were upset in Super Bowl XLII by the New York Giants, preserving the Miami Dolphins' record as the sole team to have a perfect season.

2007: Patriots Win Divisional Title

In 2007, Bill Belichick led the Patriots to win a divisional title.

2007: Belichick awarded NFL Coach of the Year

In 2007, following the Spygate incident, Belichick led the Patriots to a perfect 16–0 regular season record and was awarded the 2007 NFL Coach of the Year Award by the Associated Press.

2008: Tom Brady season-ending injury

During the 2008 season-opener, quarterback Tom Brady sustained a season-ending injury. Backup quarterback Matt Cassel was named the starter for the remainder of the season. The Patriots broke their own record for regular season wins in a row with 21 (2006–08).

2008: Pioli's Departure

In 2008, Scott Pioli, the Patriots' player personnel director, left for the Kansas City Chiefs.

2009: Belichick Gains Full Control

By 2009, Bill Belichick had near-complete control over the New England Patriots' football operations, functioning as the de facto general manager.

2009: Patriots Win Divisional Title

In 2009, Bill Belichick led the Patriots to win a divisional title.

2009: Patriots first season without 12+ wins since 2009

In 2018, the Patriots went 11-5, failing to win 12 or more games for the first time since 2009.

2010: Patriots lose to Jets in divisional round

In the 2010 season, Belichick and the Patriots finished with a 14–2 record for the top seed in the AFC, but lost to the New York Jets in the divisional round by a score of 28-21.

2011: Patriots win AFC Championship but lose Super Bowl XLVI

In 2011, the Patriots topped the AFC with a 13–3 record, won the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens, and advanced to Super Bowl XLVI. In Super Bowl XLVI, the Patriots lost to the New York Giants by a score of 21–17.

2013: Patriots face upheaval on offense but still make playoffs

In the 2013 season, the Patriots faced upheaval on offense due to injuries, arrests, and departures of key players, but still finished with a 12–4 record, won the AFC East, and secured a playoff berth. They lost to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.

2014: "We're on to Cincinnati" press conference

In 2014, after a 2-2 start, Belichick famously uttered, "We're on to Cincinnati" several times during a press conference. The Patriots finished with a 12–4 record and won Super Bowl XLIX, giving Belichick his fourth championship as head coach.

2015: Patriots lose to Broncos in AFC Championship Game

In 2015, the Patriots recorded a 12–4 record and lost to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.

2016: Patriots win Super Bowl LI

In 2016, the Patriots recorded a 14–2 record and won Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons in a comeback victory. With the victory, Belichick won his record fifth Super Bowl title as a head coach.

2017: Patriots lose Super Bowl LII

In 2017, the Patriots went 13–3 and reached Super Bowl LII, but fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, 41–33. This marked Belichick's eighth title game as head coach and his eleventh overall in any capacity. The Patriots were down early and could not make a comeback despite coming close.

2018: Patriots win Super Bowl LIII

In 2018, the Patriots went 11–5 and captured their 10th consecutive AFC East title. They won Super Bowl LIII, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 13–3, giving Belichick his sixth Super Bowl championship as a head coach.

May 13, 2019: Belichick Assumes Defensive Coordinator Role

On May 13, 2019, Bill Belichick announced that he would assume the role of the Patriots' defensive coordinator starting with the 2019 season.

October 27, 2019: Belichick Achieves 300th Win

On October 27, 2019, Belichick secured his 300th win as a head coach, combining regular and postseason games, with the Patriots' victory over the Cleveland Browns.

2019: Patriots Win Divisional Title

In 2019, Bill Belichick led the Patriots to win a divisional title.

2019: End of Patriots Dynasty

In 2019, Bill Belichick's tenure with the New England Patriots and the Patriots dynasty came to an end.

2019: Analyst for NFL 100 All-Time Team

In 2019, while coaching the Patriots, Belichick served as an analyst alongside Rich Eisen and Cris Collinsworth for the NFL 100 All-Time Team series on NFL Network. He also served as a voter and tape breakdown analyst.

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2020: Patriots Face Quarterback Uncertainty and COVID-19 Challenges

In 2020, following Tom Brady's departure, the Patriots signed Cam Newton. The 2020 NFL season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a 7-9 record, Belichick's first losing season since his initial year in New England.

2021: Belichick Awarded Sports Emmy

In 2021, Belichick received a Sports Emmy for his contributions to the NFL 100 All-Time Team series.

2021: Mac Jones Drafted and Brady's Return to Gillette Stadium

In 2021, the Patriots drafted Mac Jones and named him the starting quarterback after releasing Cam Newton. During Week 4 of 2021, Tom Brady visited Gillette Stadium for the first time since joining the Buccaneers, with Tampa Bay narrowly defeating the Patriots 19-17. Belichick led the Patriots to a 10-7 record that year and the team lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.

2022: Patriots' 2022 Season

In the 2022 season, the Patriots finished with an 8-9 record despite quarterback Mac Jones being injured and missing several weeks.

2023: Worst Loss and 300th Regular Season Win

During the 2023 season, Belichick suffered the worst loss of his career to the Dallas Cowboys and the worst home loss against the Saints. He also achieved his 300th career regular season win against the Buffalo Bills. After a loss to the Colts, Bailey Zappe was named the starting quarterback. The Patriots finished the 2023 season with a 4-13 record, their worst under Belichick.

January 11, 2024: Belichick and Patriots Part Ways

On January 11, 2024, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots mutually agreed to part ways, ending his tenure as head coach.

December 11, 2024: Belichick Named Head Coach of North Carolina Tar Heels

On December 11, 2024, Belichick was named the 35th head football coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels football team, marking his first coaching role at the collegiate level.

2024: Belichick Joins Manningcast

In 2024, Peyton Manning announced that Belichick would join the Manning brothers on the Manningcast, an alternate broadcast of Monday Night Football, appearing on every broadcast during the season.

2024: Belichick Joins The Pat McAfee Show as Analyst

In 2024, after leaving the Patriots, Belichick agreed to appear weekly on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" as an analyst, starting with the "5th Annual Draft Spectacular" covering the 2024 NFL draft.

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