The New England Patriots are one of the most successful franchises in all of football. No other team can surpass the organization's six Super Bowl wins. In turn, the franchise has become one of the most recognizable dynasties in sports history.
However, much of that success has come in the last 20 or so years under one coach. For that reason, many people forget the Patriots' prior history. While the team wasn't as successful as it is now, a few quality coaches roamed the sidelines back then.
5. Chuck Fairbanks
The early 1970s were not a very good time to be a Patriots fan. When Fairbanks took over in 1974, things definitely didn't get better. In Fairbanks' first year as head coach the Pats would go 3-5-9. The next two years, the team would win a combined 10 games and Fairbanks was firmly on the hot seat
However, Fairbanks was able to turn things around. Behind the second-highest scoring offense in the NFL, New England finished 11-3 record in 1976. Fairbanks would follow that up with 9-5 in '77 and another 11-win campaign in '78.
However, Fairbanks was never able to win in the postseason and was sued by the team for a breach of contract in 1979.
4. Mike Holovak
Things started out really well for Holovak. After head coach Lou Saban was fired following a 2-3 start in 1961, Holovak, an assistant at the time, would take over. The Boston Patriots would then go 7-1-1 in the next nine games.
It was more of the same in 1962 as Holovak would lead the team to a 9-4-1 record once again. The next season, although the team would only win seven games, the Patriots would make the postseason for the first time before losing to the San Diego Chargers.
1964 would be the franchise's first 10-win season but it mostly went downhill after that. In the next four seasons, Boston would go 19-32-5 and Holovak was subsequently fired in 1969.
3. Bill Parcells
A Hall of Fame coach and two-time Super Bowl champion, Parcells only coached in New England for four seasons. And while those four seasons were very hit or miss, Parcells was able to bring the team to the Super Bowl in 1996.
With star QB Drew Bledsoe at the helm, Parcells led the Patriots to double-digit wins in 1994 and 1996. On the other hand, in his other two seasons as head coach, the Patriots went an unimpressive 11-21.
2. Raymond Berry
Berry was a six-time Pro Bowler for the Baltimore Colts during his playing days but he was also quite a good coach as well. After some locker room issues, Berry replaced head coach Ron Meyer in 1984 but only finished the season 4-4.
However, in 1985, the team would rally around their new coach, win 11 games and make the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. While Berry would never make it back to the big game after that, he won eight or more games in every season except his first and his last.
1. Bill Belichick
Belichick is number one on this list and it's not even remotely close. Not only is Belichick by far the best Patriots head coach of all time, he might very well be the best coach in football history.
Yes, having someone like Tom Brady has certainly helped him in his career, but the Patriots would not have six Super Bowl championships without Belichick.
Not to mention, Belichick also led the team to three additional Super Bowls that they would ultimately lose.
Belichick's .741 win percentage in New England puts him at the top of the list in terms of NFL head coaches who coached more than 10 seasons. Belichick also has 11 more playoff wins than any other head coach in NFL history and has only had one losing season in two decades with the Patriots.
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