There’s no doubt now that in the modern era of pro football – that is, since the first Super Bowl following the 1966 season – the New England’s Bill Belichick is the best head coach in history, the Patriots’ Tom Brady is the best quarterback and as such they are the best coach-quarterback duo.
Since having a great head coach is a necessity to winning, since quarterback is the most important position in team sports and since the most important duo in sports is that of the head coach and his quarterback, it’s no wonder that Belichick and Brady have combined to capture five of the seven Super Bowls they’ve played in since 2001.
If you were uncertain about where Belichick and Brady stood individually, and together, then the Patriots’ 34-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime on Sunday night in Super Bowl LI clinched it. They were getting crushed by 25 points, 28-3, with two minutes left in the third quarter and still came back to win. These guys – Belichick, Brady and the Pats – are as close as there has ever been to unbeatable.
You can hate Belichick, Brady and the Patriots all you want – this is a free country and you may do as you please – but if you’re honest with yourself, then you have to admit they are clearly above the rest of the crowd. Everyone else is playing for second place.
We’re watching history. It is playing out right in front of our very eyes, and has been doing so for over a decade and a half.
All this from a coach who was completely written off by just about everyone following his time as coach of the Browns from 1991-95, and from a quarterback who was taken in the sixth round, at No. 199 overall, of the 2000 NFL Draft.
Who could have seen it coming?
By the way, the best head coach in the pre-Super Bowl era was Cleveland’s Paul Brown, the best quarterback was the Browns’ Otto Graham and the best coach-quarterback duo was Brown and Graham after they played in 10 league championship games in the 10 seasons they were together from 1946-55, with seven titles.
