Bill Belichick and the Patriots won their fifth Super Bowl on Sunday. For a number of reasons, that brings up some good trivia tidbits.
Most Championships
Belichick, of course, is now the only coach with five Super Bowl rings. However, three other coaches have won more titles. Paul Brown won 7 championships, although only three NFL titles (the remaining four were in the AAFC). George Halas and Curly Lambeau each won 6 NFL titles, while Belichick is now tied with Vince Lombardi at five.
Oldest Coach
Belichick is 64 years old, making him the third oldest head coach to win it all. In 2011, Tom Coughlin and the Giants beat Belichick’s Patriots in the Super Bowl, and Coughlin was 65 years old that season. George Halas won his final title in 1963, at the age of 68. Meanwhile, Dick Vermeil was 63 years old when he won the Super Bowl with the Rams to conclude the 1999 season.
Longest Run Between Titles
Belichick’s first title came in 2001, which means he’s now won championships 15 years apart. That’s tied with Curly Lambeau for the third longest stretch: Lambeau won his first championship in 1929, and his last in 1944, with both coming with the Packers. Jimmy Conzelman won as head coach of the Providence Steam Roller in 1928 and then 19 years later with the Chicago Cardinals in 1947. The longest reign, of course, goes to George Halas at 42 years; he won championships with the Bears in both 1921 and 1963. The only other coach to win titles at least 10 years apart? Weeb Ewbank, who won with the Colts in ’58 and ’59, and then as head coach of the Jets (and against the Colts) in 1968.
Most Common Record
There have been 8 Super Bowl champions with 14-2 records, and three of them (’03, ’04, ’16) were coached by Belichick. That’s tied for the second most common record for a Super Bowl champion behind 12-4. There were 11 teams that won with that record, including Belichick’s 2014 squad. The other record to win it all 8 times was 13-3.
Only Coach To Win For That Franchise
Belichick has been the head coach for every championship in Patriots history. Only a few other coaches can lay claim to that for their franchise, among franchises that have won multiple titles. All won just two:
- Lou Saban won the AFL Championship with the Bills in both ’64 and ’65. Buffalo has not won a title in any other year.
- Hank Stram won the AFL Championship with the Chiefs in ’62 and the Super Bowl in ’69, the only times Kansas City has won it all.
- Don Shula of course won the Super Bowl with Miami in ’72 and ’73; the Dolphins haven’t won in any other season.
- Guy Chamberlin was the head coach of the Canton Bulldogs when they won their only titles in 1922 and 1923.
Defensive Coordinator Turned Super Bowl Head Coach
In the last 25 years, Belichick is responsible for half of the Super Bowl titles by former defensive coordinators (Pete Carroll, Mike Tomlin, Tony Dungy, Bill Cowher, and George Seifert are the other five).
Five titles were won by coaches who were never offensive or defensive coordinators (Dick Vermeil, Barry Switzer, Jimmy Johnson twice, and John Harbaugh). The other ten were won by former offensive coordinators, spread among eight men (Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan twice, Brian Billick, Jon Gruden, Tom Coughlin twice, Sean Payton, Mike McCarthy, Tom Coughlin twice, and Gary Kubiak).