A bombshell report from ESPN outlining Belichick’s failed efforts to get the Atlanta Falcons head coaching job featured an alleged shot that he took at some of his former assistants.
Among the many allegations in the report was one where Falcons head coach Arthur Blank asked Belichick why so many of his assistants had ultimately failed to find any success at head coaches after leaving his side. Belichick allegedly replied that he felt his assistants were “better soldiers than generals.”
“(Atlanta Falcons) executives also were concerned about the staff Belichick would bring with him, including assistants who had worked with him in New England and who had struggled on their own: Josh McDaniels, Joe Judge, Jack Easterby, Matt Patricia. At one point, Blank asked Belichick why his charges had failed elsewhere. Belichick replied that he thought they were better soldiers than generals,” the report said in one passage.
That’s a pretty damning statement if true. Though the success rate – or in this case, failure rate – is so high that it’s a major indictment of Belichick’s abilities as someone who inspires leadership.
12 of Belichick’s assistants have gone on to become NFL head coaches and of those dozen, less than half have managed to last more than three years at any one head coaching stint.
In fairness, his “soldiers” have enjoyed far more success in the college ranks, with Nick Saban being by far his greatest pupil after serving as his defensive coordinator with the Browns in the 1990s.
Do you think Belichick was taking a shot at his former assistants?