Bill Belichick

William Stephen Belichick (/ˈbɛlᵻtʃɪk/; born April 16, 1952) is an American football coach and the long-time head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He also has extensive authority over the Patriots' football operations, effectively making him the team's general manager as well. Belichick was previously the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Belichick's father, Steve, was a longtime college football scout and coach who worked for 34 years at the U.S. Naval Academy. Bill often studied football with his father and has cited him as one of his greatest mentors. Belichick went on to play football and lacrosse in high school and football, lacrosse and squash at Wesleyan University; he was captain of the lacrosse team his senior year.

Belichick began his coaching career in 1975; by 1985 he was the defensive coordinator for New York Giants head coach Bill Parcells. Parcells and Belichick won two Super Bowls together (XXI and XXV) before Belichick left to become the head coach in Cleveland in 1991. He remained in Cleveland for five seasons and was fired following the team's 1995 season. Belichick then rejoined Parcells, first in New England and later with the New York Jets.