Pat Patriot
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,881
- 0
Getty Images
Now three years shy of 70, Patriots coach Bill Belichick is still going strong. Arguably the greatest coach of all time in any sport, Belichick turns 67 today.
He has shown no signs of slowing down, and he has given no indication that he has even considered stepping aside. With 261 career wins, Belichick needs only 67 more victories to catch Don Shula.
At 11 wins per year — a number that most teams fail to achieve even once every 11 years achieve but that the Patriots have realized on a consistent basis — Belichick would need to coach for another six seasons to get within striking distance, pushing him to the age of 73.
The biggest challenge for Belichick will come after quarterback Tom Brady retires. Will Belichick get to double digits on a regular basis without Brady? If not, Belichick will need to coach a lot longer than six more years to have a shot at catching and passing Shula.
Maybe Belichick will. Two years ago, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said that he’d like Belichick to coach into his 80s.
It’s hard to imagine a guy who has given his life to football to not have football in his life. Some think that, whenever he stops coaching, he’ll assume an executive-level position (like Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin have down) with another team, possibly with a small slice of equity in the organization.