Amid Shouts of Retirement, Older & Wiser Bill Belichick Inches a Step Closer to Shatterproof Feat

Nov 23, 2023 | 9:13 AM EST

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The New England Patriots have never looked so bad. Entering Week 12 of the NFL, they are 8-2. It seems like their Head Coach, Bill Belichick, is watching over a crumbling dynasty. It is difficult to believe that this is the same team that is tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most number of Super Bowl wins in NFL history. Fast forward to 2023, and they haven’t made a single playoff appearance in the last 4 years.

The “most successful coach of all time”, Bill Belichick, is standing at an important crossroad in his life and career. Should he choose to walk into the sunset with his 331-173 record? Or should he continue to linger on and fight to restore his numbers, and his team, to its former glory? It seems that he is inclined towards choosing the latter.

Bill Belichick aims at setting an NFL record

Few people in the history of the league have donned as many hats as George Halas. He had been a player, coach, and executive of the Chicago Chicago Bears. His career spanned 40 years, making him the longest-serving head coach of all time. He has 316 victories under his belt and has led the Bears to win 8 league championships in the pre-merger years.

Now it seems Belichick wants to break his record. He has served as a coach for 29 years, still a far cry from Halas’ 40. He will need to serve 11 more years to match up to him. Considering his current age is 71, by the time he reaches Halas’ record, he will be 82. His glory days came during his QB-coach partnership days with Tom Brady. With Brady, the duo had a 219-66, much better than his overall record.

But as his franchise slips into decline, will he be forced to pull the plug? An unlikely well-wisher would advise him not to.

Mark Levy’s advice for Belichick

“I won’t be like Marv Levy and coach in my 70s.” That was Belichick’s assessment of Levy in 2009, at the age of 57. But the veteran didn’t take his jab too seriously. Instead, the ever-generous coach had this advice to offer the man who had mocked him. “About a year or two after I left, I felt I’d retired too soon,” said the 98-year-old coach. “If somebody would have hired me, I would have come sprinting back.” All he can say is: don’t quit. He did it and wished to undo it just two years afterward.

Although Belichick hasn’t stated it publicly, it appears that he is hanging onto his coaching position in order to surpass George Halas as the football coach with the longest tenure. But that seems like a pipe dream given how the Patriots are doing this season. Therefore, switching to a better team that he can coach to even greater success might be his best option. However, will he be prepared to step away from the dynasty he and Brady built?

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