His first order of business was basically to clean house, and those of us who were around at the time noticed immediately. Veterans were either sent packing or were clearly living on borrowed time. That 2000 team was so short on talent that it initially had four quarterbacks, the last of which has gone on to accomplish a thing or two in his two decades in New England.
The team finished 5-11, but in a lot of ways was more enjoyable to watch than its more talented predecessor the year prior. Belichick was instilling some toughness and accountability into his program, and all it took was one offseason to completely change the football landscape in New England forever.
The Patriots signed nearly two dozen free agents heading into the 2001 season. Any of the problem veterans that survived the initial purge were now gone as well. The group welcomed the defending NFC champion New York Giants to training camp that summer, and it was easy to see the Patriots were on their way back to respectability.
Few could have envisioned the Super Bowl title that would ensue, but watching those camp practices showed a renewed focus, not to mention an upgrade in overall talent.
Tom Brady eventually replaced the injured Drew Bledsoe, and Belichick now had the type of mistake-free quarterback he needed to make his system go. The 2001 Patriots won their final nine games en route to the title, and Belichick and Brady haven't stopped winning since.
The numbers are staggering:
- 6 Super Bowl titles
- 9 AFC titles
- 17 AFC East division titles
- Career record – 302-139 (.685)
- Regular season – 273-127 (.683)
- Postseason – 31-12 (.721)
- Patriots record – 267-94 (.740)
Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Belichick's greatness is his unwavering consistency. Whether it be that day's meeting, a spring OTA session, a camp practice, preseason game or the Super Bowl, the coach's focus always seemed to be in one place only – on the specific task at hand.
"We're just trying to get the quarterback-center exchange down," he would often say during the offseason when asked about potential holes on the roster or other future problems down the road. While it was a way for Belichick to avoid offering any specifics, it also showed his ability to maintain focus on even the most mundane football tasks.
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Looking back at Belichick's two decades of dominance - Patriots.com
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