What You Might Not Know About Former New England Coach Bill Belichick
Since he first took over as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2000, folks inside and outside of Patriot Nation have attempted to figure out the curmudgeonly Bill Belichick. It has not been an easy task as Belichick is a man of few words.
William Stephen Belichick was born in Nashville, Tennessee on April 16, 1952. He was born into football. It is in his blood.
Belichick's father Stephen played college football for Western Reserve University and the for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He coached at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Belichick was named after William Miller "Bill" Edwards, his godfather, a College Football Hall of Fame coach.
Bill Belichick played football for Annapolis High School, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He also played lacrosse, which he reportedly enjoyed more than football. Belichick's daughter Amanda is a successful lacrosse coach at Holy Cross.
Belichick, who owns several homes in Massachusetts, had a series of coaching jobs with various NFL teams before signing on as an assistant head coach and defensive backs coach with the New England Patriots in 1995. He returned to New England in 2000 to guide the Patriots through the 2023-24 season.
In 1989, when Belichick was a defensive coach for the New York Giants, he met rock star Jon Bon Jovi, then a New York Giants fan. Bon Jovi now roots for the Patriots and is friends with team owner Robert Kraft. It was his friendship with Belichick that converted Bon Jovi.
Bon Jovi, who counts Belichick among his "best friends," told the Sun Journal in a 2004 interview, that the "other Bill" (Belichick) is a "closet drummer" and a "classic rock kind of guy." Bon Jovi says Belichick listens to The Beatles, U2, Bruce Springsteen and even The Jerky Boys.
Belichick told the same interview, "He's (Bon Jovi) a football fan, and I'm a Bon Jovi fan – perfect match."
Belichick even toured Europe with Bon Jovi's band and the liner notes of Bon Jovi's 2002 album Bounce include a dedication to Belichick from the singer.
Who knew? Jovi Nation shares space in Bill Belichick's heart with Patriot Nation.