Bill Belichick returned to New England when Patriots owner Robert Kraft named him the fourteenth head coach in Patriots history on January 27, 2000. Belichick, who was a defensive assistant for the Patriots when the team won a conference title in 1996, took over and quickly molded the Patriots into one of the elite teams in the NFL, winning two Super Bowls in the past three seasons.By 2001, just his second season at the helm in New England, he had reversed the course of the team and returned it to NFL prominence. The Patriots closed out the 2001 season by winning nine consecutive games, including a victory in Super Bowl XXXVI against the Rams to claim the first league championship in franchise history. In addition to his two Super Bowl titles as a head coach, Belichick owns a 7-1 (.875) mark in the postseason, second only to Vince Lombardi (9-1) in NFL history. Long renowned as one of the leagues premier defensive coaches after years as a defensive assistant, Belichick is now recognized as one of the NFLs premier game strategists. His contributions as a head coach and an assistant coach have led to four Super Bowl titles, five conference championships and seven division titles since 1986. Now entering his 30th season as an NFL coach, Belichick has spent more seasons in the league than any other NFL head coach. Since 2001, Belichick has directed the Patriots to a 40-14 (.741) record heading into the 2004 season, the best mark in the NFL over the past three seasons. The most successful run in franchise history includes a 6-0 postseason record and the first two league titles in the clubs 44-year history. In 2003, Belichick led the Patriots to one of the finest seasons in pro football annals, compiling a 17-2 mark that culminated in a victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. The Patriots became the first team in 31 years and just the second club ever to win 15 consecutive games en route to the championship. Only the 1972 Miami Dolphins won more consecutive games in a season. With his Super Bowl XXXVIII triumph, Belichick became just the 12th head coach in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl titles.
