Before the Kansas City Chiefs, there was the New England Patriots.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick created a dynasty in New England, a culture of winning championships that hasn’t been repeated in league history.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are working on building that, but they still have a long way to go if they want to get to Brady’s level of success.
When talking about their time with the Patriots, former players highlight what it was like to play with Brady, as well as what it was like to have Belichick as their coach.
Belichick’s “Patriot Way” has been criticized by many, but at the end of the day, his results speak for themselves.
The championship mindset always seemed to be there for the Patriots during their run, a testament to Belichick’s coaching style.
Rob Ninkovich, who won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, recently talked about what Belichick expected of his players (via Savage Sports).
“Being dependable, being coachable. You have to learn how to play the game, or learn in any aspect, how to get better,” Ninkovich said.
Rob Ninkovich on what it takes to play for Bill Belichick.
— Savage (@SavageSports_) November 5, 2024
While both of the above aspects of playing for Belichick are important, Ninkovich added the most important piece of the puzzle, “Then, you have to perform.”
Belichick expected his athletes to not only treat playing in the NFL like any other job, but he expected them to rise above the rest and be held accountable for their role on the team.
It might have seemed harsh at times, but the results are undeniable.
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