After the Patriots' victory over the Broncos on Sunday Night Football, Bill Belichick added another achievement to his already impressive resume: he is now tied with Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry for 270 career wins.
Tom Landry is one of the greatest coaches of all-time: he spent 29 consecutive seasons coaching the Cowboys, accumulating 20 consecutive winning seasons and two Super Bowl championships. Obviously, Belichick also is one of the greatest ever, as the only head coach to win five Super Bowls in his career. Both coaches have had a huge impact on football, not just for the teams they coached, but to the game as a whole thanks to their innovative concepts that eventually became standard.
In honor of Belichick tying Landry's record, let's review the accomplishments -- and fashion -- of these legendary coaches.
1 / 20
Tom Landry, 1978
Tom Landry was one of the most successful coaches of all time, and the most stylish. On game days, Landry always wore a full suit paired with a fedora. After his death in 2000, the Dallas Cowboys honored him with a memorial patch on their uniform: a small fedora.
David Durochik/Associated Press
2 / 20
Bill Belichick, 2017
Bill Belichick is also one of the most successful coaches of all time, and the longest-tenured active head coach. As of his win on Sunday Night Football, Belichick is now tied with Landry for third most wins of all time. In terms of style, Belichick's casualwear belies his buttoned-up approach and unparalleled attention to detail.
David Zalubowski/Associated Press
3 / 20
Tom Landry, 1970
Landry became the Dallas Cowboys' first head coach in 1960 and led the team to dominance over the next three decades, particularly the '70s -- they appeared in five Super Bowls between 1970 and 1978. It was during this time of ubiquitousness that the Cowboys earned the nickname "America's Team."
National Football League
4 / 20
Bill Belichick, 1991
Belichick's stingy defenses, led by Lawrence Taylor, were the key to the Giants' Super Bowl wins under head coach Bill Parcells. Later, Belichick would rejoin Parcells as his defensive coordinator for both the Patriots and the New York Jets.
Al Messerschmidt/Associated Press
5 / 20
Tom Landry, 1975
Landry, seen here in a plaid jacket during the 1975 NFC Championship Game; the Cowboys would defeat the L.A. Rams and return to the Super Bowl. That season also saw Landry earn his second Coach of the Year honor. Only one coach in NFL history has more playoff victories than Tom Landry. Guess who?
National Football League
6 / 20
Bill Belichick, 1991
Coincidentally, before Belichick and Landry received head coaching opportunities, both served as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, and both led the team to championships. Landry served the Giants in the pre-Super Bowl 1950s. Meanwhile in this photo, Belichick reviews the game plan that would lead the Giants to an upset victory over the high-powered Buffalo Bills offense in Super Bowl XXV.
Associated Press
7 / 20
Tom Landry, 1976
Landry's defensive concepts were created in response to Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers who used a "Run to Daylight" scheme in which the running back went wherever there was open space, as opposed to a specific hole through the offensive line. Thus, Landry invented the use of "keys" to determine what the offense might do, and block out the "daylight." Landry's defenses came to be known as the "Doomsday Defense."
David Durochik/Associated Press
8 / 20
Bill Belichick, 1993
After winning two Super Bowls as a coordinator, Belichick was hired as the head coach for the Cleveland Browns in 1991. Belichick compiled a 36-44 record with the team, with one winning season in 1994. That year, the Browns won their wildcard playoff game against -- guess who -- the New England Patriots.
Piet Van Lier/Associated Press
9 / 20
Tom Landry, 1980
Did you know Tom Landry invented the 4-3 defense? It's true. Previously, a defensive lineman was placed across from the center, but Landry decided to move that person back two yards -- effectively creating the middle linebacker position. Obviously the 4-3 is now a standard defensive formation, and its creation opened the door to all variations of zone and man coverage we see in the modern NFL.
National Football League
10 / 20
Bill Belichick, 2000
Patriots owner Robert Kraft was keen to hire Bill Belichick and successfully hired him away from the division rival Jets in 2000. Replacing Pete Carroll, Belichick's first year in New England resulted in a 5-11 finish -- the last time the Patriots have finished with a losing record.
Charles Krupa/Associated Press
11 / 20
Tom Landry, 1988
During his 29 consecutive years with the Dallas Cowboys, Landry won two Super Bowl titles, 13 Divisional titles, and played in 12 Championship games. Perhaps most impressive is Landry's 20 consecutive winning seasons -- a record that stands to this day.
Ron Heflin/Associated Press
12 / 20
National Football League
Belichick's accomplishments in New England are enormous. Under his watch, the Patriots have five Super Bowl championships on seven appearances, 14 AFC East titles, and 11 appearances in the AFC Championship Game. Life has certainly been good for fans in New England.
National Football League
13 / 20
Tom Landry
It's rare to see photos of Landry in non-formal wear, but the full suit-and-tie look would be impractical for a practice. Landry was nothing if not practical. In fact, he was the first to employ a quality control coach to analyze game films and opponent tendencies. This provided a huge advantage for Landry's Cowboys, and today, most NFL teams have two quality control coaches on staff.
Associated Press
14 / 20
Bill Belichick, 2004
In terms of NFL greatness, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are something of a "chicken and the egg" riddle. Is Brady great because Belichick is great, or is it the other way around? Whichever side you take, it's clear these two are probably the greatest coach/quarterback tandem in NFL history.
Brady has earned four Super Bowl MVP awards, the most of all time. Belichick has five Super Bowl wins, the most of any head coach ever. Belichick is also the only head coach in NFL history to win three Super Bowl championships in a four-year span. In this photo, Belichick and Brady prepare to face the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII and win their second Super Bowl title in three years.
Eric Gay/Associated Press
15 / 20
Bill Walsh and Tom Landry, 1987
Bill Walsh famously invented the "west coast offense" during his time coaching the San Francisco 49ers, but Landry was no slouch with creativity on offense, either. In fact, Landry is commonly assumed to have invented the shotgun formation -- and though he didn't actually invent it, he did modernize and popularize the shotgun in the '70s with QB Roger Staubauch.
Greg Trott/Associated Press
16 / 20
Bill Belichick, 2010
Belichick was named Coach of the Year for the third time in 2010, having previously received the award in 2003 and 2007. Even aside from his success, Belichick's longevity is impressive: he's been coaching in the NFL for over 40 years.
Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
17 / 20
Jimmy Johnson and Tom Landry, 1993
Tom Landry's coaching career ended when Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys in 1989. Looking for new blood and energy in the organization, Jones replaced Landry with his long-time friend Jimmy Johnson, who led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in the '90s. In this photo from 1993, Landry is inducted into the "Ring of Honor" at Texas Stadium.
David J. Phillip/Associated Press
18 / 20
Bill Belichick, 2007
Together, Belichick and Brady led the Patriots to an undefeated regular season in 2007 -- the first team to do so since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and the only team to do so on the modern 16 game schedule. In this photo, the Patriots are about to defeat the New York Giants in their final regular season game to finish with a 16-0 record. The teams would meet again in the Super Bowl, when the Giants spoiled their perfect season in one of the greatest Super Bowl upset wins ever.
Julie Jacobson/Associated Press
19 / 20
AT&T Stadium, 2017
Tom Landry's legacy lives on in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and his statue at AT&T Stadium, but his overall impact on pro football is immeasurable.
Sharon Ellman/Associated Predd
20 / 20
Bill Belichick, 2017
Belichick looks on from the field before the biggest Super Bowl comeback ever in Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons. His victory in that game earned Belichick several records: the most Super Bowl wins of any coach in NFL history, and the most amount of Super Bowls participated in, in any capacity. Who knows what other records Belichick will break before his career is done?
Ben Liebenberg/NFL
This Ad will close in 3
Related
This article beautifully highlights the monumental achievements of two NFL coaching giants, Bill Belichick and Tom Landry. Belichick, renowned for his strategic genius and unparalleled attention to detail, has matched the impressive career wins of Landry, a coach celebrated for his style and innovative contributions to the game. Their impact extends beyond the teams they coached, influencing the very fabric of football.
Bill Belichick's rise to prominence began notably during his tenure as a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, where he orchestrated stingy defenses led by players like Lawrence Taylor, culminating in Super Bowl victories. Later, as head coach of the New England Patriots, his legacy soared, securing an incredible five Super Bowl championships and setting records for AFC East titles and playoff appearances.
Tom Landry's tenure with the Dallas Cowboys is legendary. He crafted defensive concepts in response to Vince Lombardi's strategies, creating the famed "Doomsday Defense" and inventing the 4-3 defense formation, which revolutionized defensive strategies in the NFL. Landry's influence extended to offensive innovation as well, with the popularization of the shotgun formation during his time coaching Roger Staubach and the Cowboys in the '70s.
The article delves into their distinctive coaching styles, contrasting Landry's iconic formal suits and fedora with Belichick's more casual attire that belies his meticulous approach to the game. Landry's impact stretched beyond the field; he was a pioneer in employing quality control coaches to analyze game films, a practice now commonplace across NFL teams.
Their coaching legacies intertwine with their respective franchises' successes, leaving an indelible mark on the NFL. The article aptly highlights the debate surrounding the Belichick-Brady partnership, acknowledging their symbiotic greatness while leaving room for individual recognition.
Both coaches, through their strategic innovations, enduring success, and influence on the game's evolution, have cemented their places as titans of NFL coaching history.
