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Bill Belichick doesn't rule out coaching into his 70s

Jason Owens
Staff writer
·2 min read

Much has been made of Tom Brady’s longevity and his future with the New England Patriots beyond this season.

Now, head coach Bill Belichick is hinting that his tenure in the NFL could extend longer than expected.

The 67-year-old said in 2009 that he didn’t plan to coach in his 70s.

“I don’t want to be like Marv Levy and coaching when I’m in my 70s,” Belichick said in a 2009 NFL Network documentary. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Change, of course

Now that he’s approaching that life milestone, he’s leaving the door open to changing his mind.

Belichick told Boston’s WEEI on Monday that he may continue coaching beyond his 70th birthday.

“When I said it, maybe I didn’t know what 70 felt like,” Belichick told WEEI, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “So I’m not really sure if that’s an accurate statement today or not.”

If Bill Belichick does coach into his 70s, would he consider leading a team other than the Patriots? (Steven Ryan/Getty)
If Bill Belichick does coach into his 70s, would he consider leading a team other than the Patriots? (Steven Ryan/Getty)

Belichick’s statement follows Brady’s

Belichick’s statement arrives a week after Brady told WEEI, “I don’t know” about retiring at the end of the season.

So, while the 42-year-old Patriots quarterback is leaving the door open to shut things down, Belichick is talking about extending his career.

Belichick will turn 70 in 2022, leaving plenty of time for the future Hall of Famer to figure out his career plans. By then, he’ll surely have a better grasp of where Brady stands if he’s somehow still playing football.

Belichick recorded his 300th win on Sunday, but will need to put in a lot more time to pass record-holder Don Shula and his 347 victories, if that is indeed a goal of his.

Would Belichick leave Patriots for another team?

If Belichick does decide to continue coaching after Brady retires, would he consider coaching for another team other than the Patriots? It seems unlikely. But he lost his quarterback of the future when the Patriots traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers.

If an opening with an old team — say the New York Giants where he won two Super Bowl rings as a defensive coordinator — comes up, could he be temped to leave the Patriots for his swan song?

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