The Bill Belichick era is finally over for the New England Patriots, and he left an indelible mark on the franchise.
He is considered one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history, and some even consider him the best ever, especially because of his reputation as a defensive mastermind.
On “The Pat McAfee Show,” he told legendary Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders that Sanders was the toughest player he ever had to gameplan for, and that when Sanders had the ball, all of his defenders had to be on the point of attack.
Sanders then returned the favor on Twitter by saying it was a “huge compliment.”
I heard coach say that last night, & it really hit me. Here’s a guy who coached the greatest @NFL dynasties, & I was his biggest problem? That felt good to hear Coach. A huge compliment. Made my night. https://t.co/6GgOiKeZZN
— Barry Sanders (@BarrySanders) April 26, 2024
Sanders was quite possibly the greatest running back in football history, and while the Lions won only one playoff game during his 10 years with them, he put them on the map.
He had an uncanny ability to evade tackles and manipulate defenders in space by shifting his movement and changing direction, and it helped him lead the league in rushing yards four times while winning two Offensive Player of the Year awards and one MVP.
Belichick, of course, later moved on to become the Patriots’ head coach and de facto general manager after his falling out with Bill Parcells, his head coach on the Giants, and he led the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships.
He and the Patriots parted ways a few months ago, and while he’s 72 years of age and currently unemployed, some feel his coaching career isn’t quite over yet.
