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The end of Bill Belichick's tenure with the New England Patriots may have been accelerated due to his job as a general manager. Belichick and Robert Kraft couldn't agree on the team's direction in meetings since the end of the season. This led to the Patriots and Bill Belichick parting ways, with Bill setting out to find another job. It remains to be seen whether or not his new job will include the keys to the front office, but it's more likely that he will be just the head coach. It's better to forget the mess he left the Patriots roster in upon his departure. Belichick was a master during the Patriots dynasty in building his teams for success. The league may have outgrown his team-building style, but he was one of the best in his prime. Let's look at Bill's greatest under-the-radar acquisitions.
5. Success after Tom Brady's departure
Belichick made one last attempt at building a winner in New England when he created one of the best defensive teams in league history. They lost in the first round of the playoffs, but the Belichick-built defense was why they got there. Belichick had the foresight to bring in Stephon Gilmore to replace Malcolm Butler a few years before the 2019 season. Gilmore proceeded to win the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. Devin McCourty was still patrolling the defense, and they had undrafted players in JC Jackson and Jonathan Jones. Lastly, Belichick reacquired Jamie Collins, completing his dominant defense.
4. Belichick finds an undrafted cornerback from Alabama
You may think finding an undrafted cornerback from Alabama isn't impressive. However, Malcolm Butler wasn't playing football with the Crimson Tide. He was a member of the Division II University of West Alabama Tigers. Belichick took a chance and invited him to training camp. Butler made the team, and the rookie had limited playing time. Then, coach Bill Belichick threw him into the Super Bowl game against Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. The rest is history. Malcolm Butler made the game-winning interception at the goalline, and the Patriots won another Super Bowl, the fourth of what would be six in Belichick's tenure.
3. Belichick boosts his wide receiver talent
The Patriots had disappointing playoff exits in 2005 and 2006. The roster lost plenty of talent, and the offense fell behind some other high-scoring teams. Belichick took the initiative to reinvent the offense, acquiring Randy Moss and Wes Welker to bolster their wide receiver room. He acquired Moss for a fourth-round pick and Welker for a second and a seventh. They set offensive records and turned Tom Brady into the best passing quarterback in the league. It was a near-perfect season, as they carried an 18-0 record into the Super Bowl against the New York Giants. We know how that season ended, but that doesn't take away the impact Bill's moves made on the team.
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2. Belichick builds a team to go back-to-back
Belichick began building the back-to-back champions in 2003 when he brought Rodney Harrison to replace Lawyer Milloy. This move could have backfired since Rodney Harrison was an outspoken character and Milloy was a respected veteran. Milloy's career went downhill after that season, and Rodney Harrison became an All-Pro in 2003-04. Harrison was integral in their Super Bowl wins in '03 and '04.
Belichick didn't get complacent after the win in '03. He made a risky trade to acquire Corey Dillon in the offseason. Then, he drafted Vince Wilfork with the 21st overall pick. The previous year's selection of Asante Samuel helped bolster their defensive back depth. The 2004 team had five All-Pros, six Pro Bowlers, and unlimited amounts of depth.
1. A plethora of draft steals
Bill Belichick has the best draft steal in sports history, selecting a sixth-round quarterback from the University of Michigan. A lot of teams passed on the greatest quarterback ever, but Belichick was the one who took a chance on Tom Brady. That is undoubtedly the best pick of his career. However, the second Patriots dynasty run in the 2010s was helped by some other steals. Julian Edelman was a quarterback in college until Belichick took him in the seventh round and turned him into one of the best slot receivers in league history. Belichick took the chance on Rob Gronkowski in the second round, and he became the best tight end of all time.
Some other late-round steals for the Patriots were Asante Samuel, Matt Light, Joe Thuney, Deion Branch, Jamie Collins, Trey Flowers, and Dan Koppen. They also took chances on undrafted players JC Jackson, David Andrews, Stephen Neal, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. They say one man's trash is another man's treasure, and Belichick was better at finding diamonds in the rough than anyone.
