In the last two postings, we’ve talked about Bill Belichick being possibly the greatest head coach in NFL history, and Tom Brady being perhaps the best quarterback the best quarterback the league has ever seen.
Now let’s look at both of these New England Patriots as maybe – maybe – the greatest head coach-quarterback combination in NFL annals as they come to Cleveland on Sunday to face the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Paul Brown-Otto Graham.
Don Shula-John Unitas.
Don Shula-Bob Griese.
Don Shula-Dan Marino.
Vince Lombardi-Bart Starr.
Tom Landry-Roger Stabauch.
Bill Walsh-Joe Montana.
Chuck Noll-Terry Bradshaw.
All of these, great head coaches, great quarterbacks, a great amount of winning.
The head coach-quarterback combo is the most important relationship in team sports. If you have an outstanding head coach and an outstanding quarterback and they are joined at the hip and on the same page, then you’ve got a team headed for big things over a long period of time.
Noll-Bradshaw was the one combo where the two people didn’t get along – not at all – but they learned to put aside their dislike for each other for the good of the team and were able to make it work.
The young Browns and their fans on Sunday will get the chance to witness one of the best combinations in Belichick and Brady. That the Patriots are heavily favored to get the best of the Browns is another story for another time, and that time is tomorrow.
