There are two plays that still bother Bill Belichick to this day.
Despite winning six Super Bowls and coaching one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties, the fiercely competitive coach never forgot that his team was burned by two of the best quarterbacks in league history.
The first was in 1988, involving Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and their venerable San Francisco 49ers.
When Belichick was the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator, the coach remembers a painful game in which a two-minute drill completely exposed his defense.
“We’re moving fast,” Belichick said. “We haven’t really determined that yet.”
Montana made a quick count, catching New York off guard.
“He hit Rice on the sideline and we lost the game,” Belichick said. “It still drives me crazy.”
The legendary coach saw the same football traits at Montana that he later saw in Tom Brady.
“He’s one of those guys, just like Tom, no matter what it takes, that’s what he does,” Belichick added.
Brady sat next to his former coach and laughed as he said his Patriots teammates were well aware of what Montana and Rice did to Belichick’s old Giants defense.
“Our team has seen this game many times,” he said.
The second play, which still haunts Belichick to this day, was equally painful.
In a great AFC contest, New England initially defeated the Indianapolis Colts.
But there was one time Peyton Manning burned the Patriots with his legs that Belichick still remembers.
“Oh my God,” Belichick said. “He had a bootleg run against us in the fourth and first quarter. He ran the ball.”
The quarterback rush was the longest the Patriots defense allowed all season.
“To Peyton Manning,” Belichick said. “How embarrassing is that?”