Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady: How legendary Patriots coach has fared before after divorcing quarterback

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift might qualify as the most dynamic NFL duo heading into the 2023 NFL season, but not so long ago that title belonged to Bill Belichick ( Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

For two decades, the Patriots coach and quarterback dominated the NFL. They created a dynasty — winning 17 division titles and six Super Bowls together in 20 seasons — while redefining the way NFL offenses operate.

Then there was the well-publicized disagreement between the two. Tom Brady joined the Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL offseason, while Belichick and the Patriots turned to Cam Newton. Both are eager to prove that they can succeed without the other after 20 years of being tethered.

Brady can do that. Belichick? Not so much.

Now entering their fourth season since Brady’s departure, Belichick’s Patriots are starting to bottom out. They had a slow start to the season, and after back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Saints, they appeared to be a candidate for the No. 1 pick.

Of course, “Brady or Belichick?” So the debate has come to a head, with Belichick’s recent performance without Brady having many backing the future Hall of Fame signal-caller as the pair’s The most important member of the group.

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So, how has Belichick’s career fared without Brady? Here’s a detailed breakdown of his record without the former Patriots pass rusher, and how each of his non-Brady quarterbacks performed.

Bill Belichick coaching record

Belichick compiled a 330-169 record in 29 seasons as an NFL head coach. His regular season record is 299 wins and 156 losses, and he has an impressive record of 31 wins and 13 losses in 44 career playoff games.

Belichick’s 330 wins rank second in NFL history. Only Don Shula, coach of the undefeated Dolphins in 1974, is ahead of him with 347 points.

Here are the other legends Belichick surpassed on the NFL’s all-time wins list:

rank	coach	victory
1	Don Shula	Chapter 347
2	bill belichick	330
3	George Halas	Chapter 324
4	Andy Reid	273
5	Tom Landry	270
6	Curly Rambo	229
7	Paul Brown	222
8	Chuck Noll	209
9	Marty Schottenheimer	205
10	Dan Reeves	201

In fact, Belichick’s record is so impressive that given his appreciation for NFL history, he may want to tie Shula’s record before he retires.

That said, it may take some time for Belichick to get there, especially considering how well he performed without future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.

More: Breaking down the worst losses of Bill Belichick’s career

Bill Belichick sets record without Tom Brady

Belichick is just 81-94 with Brady at quarterback through Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season. That’s not bad for a winning percentage of just .463, but pales in comparison to what Belichick and his longtime quarterback have accomplished.

bill belichick	victory	loss	Winning rate %	Super Bowl Champion (as HC)
with tom brady	249	75	.769	6
no tom brady	81	94	.463	0

Some might conclude that Belichick isn’t a good coach if he doesn’t have the greatest quarterback of all time.

Brady disagrees with that assessment. He commented on his “Let’s Go” podcast after the Patriots’ losses to the Cowboys and Saints that Belichick has the same work ethic and coaching style that led the pair. The team achieved sustained success over two decades.

So, what’s the problem? Brady admitted it could be due to a number of reasons.

“As I sit here and watch from a distance, I realize, God, there are a lot of variables, a lot of things that need to go right for this team to be successful,” Brady explains When discussing the Patriots’ 2023 season.

While Belichick may be partially responsible for this, ultimately, the responsibility for finding success lies with more than just him.

“It takes a good coaching staff to win. It takes good players to win,” he added. “It takes a lot of support from the front office to win. It’s an organizational win and it’s an organizational loss. To blame one player for a win or a loss – they did a lot for me in the win and I always say, ‘It’s not about me, it’s about us. When you fail, as a leader, you take responsibility when you fail and you give credit when you win. But at the end of the day, it’s a team sport .”

So Belichick’s success, at least in Brady’s mind, isn’t just about the pair finally pairing up.

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Record set by Bill Belichick quarterback

One only has to look at the results Belichick has gotten from other quarterbacks to know Brady might be right. While Belichick’s overall record without Brady has been mediocre at best, the group of passers he’s worked with has been mediocre as well.

What are the highlights of the non-Brady quarterbacks Belichick has played with? Bernie Kosar and Drew Bledsoe were ineffective due to injuries under him; Matt Cassel under Belichick became a Pro Bowler in his only year; Cam Newton was in the final stages of his career.

Here’s a look at every non-Brady quarterback who has started under Belichick and the record they have for him as of Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season.

quarterback	team	Record
Vinnie Testaverde	browns	17-16th
mac jones	patriots	17-20th
Bernie Kosar	browns	11-18 days
Matt Cassell	patriots	10-5
Cam Newton	patriots	7-8
Drew Bledsoe	patriots	5-13
Mike Tomczak	browns	4-4
Jimmy Garoppolo	patriots	2-0
Bailey Zappe	patriots	2-0
Mark Rippin	browns	2-1
Todd Faircox	browns	twenty three
Jacoby Brissett	patriots	1-1
Eric Zell	browns	1-3
Brian Hoyer	patriots	0-2

While one could make the case that Belichick’s results without Brady aren’t as impressive as they should be, it’s not like he’s working with a top quarterback. Some of them — like Kosar, Bledsoe and Newton — are high-end investments that are well past their prime.

Others were high-end investments that didn’t work out so well, like Jones.

Belichick might be worth it Some Blame it on his non-Brady passer shortcomings, but it’s worth thinking about how much he could improve each passer. Maybe Kosar and Bledsoe should have done better under their tutelage, but either way they were no above-average performers after leaving Belichick’s team.

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Tom Brady’s record without Bill Belichick

While Belichick’s record without Brady is below average, Brady’s record without Belichick is still solid. He compiled a 37-20 record in three seasons with the Buccaneers and helped the team win Super Bowl 56, a level Belichick couldn’t reach without Brady.

tom brady	victory	loss	Winning rate %	super bowl champion
with Bill Belichick	249	75	.769	6
No Bill Belichick	37	twenty	.649	1

Brady’s raw record shows that the all-time great signal-caller was a huge part of the Patriots’ dynastic success.

It’s worth noting, though, that Brady’s overall winning percentage without Belichick is lower than with him. Brady also had his only losing season as the starting quarterback in his three-year career with the Buccaneers.

So while one could argue that Brady deserves more credit for the Patriots dynasty than Belichick does, the reality is that it’s the combination of the two that makes New England such a formidable team.

Even if the rest of Belichick’s career without Brady is relatively mediocre, the 71-year-old remains one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.