The man behind the legend. Bill Belichick was the architect of arguably the greatest dynasty the football world has ever seen. The head coach for the New England Patriots during an NFL-leading six Super Bowl wins, his resume is as close to impeccable as one can get.
However, today, we aren’t taking stock in the man who is a terrifying proposition for any opposing team and whose schemes are so legendary that they’ve ended up in the Hall of Fame by themselves. Instead, we take a look at the man behind the legend and the family who makes him.
Bill Belichick’s Children
Before his controversial relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson came into the limelight, Belichick was married to Debby Clarke Belichick for 29 years, from 1977 to 2006. During that time span, the couple had three children together – two boys and a girl.
Amanda Belichick
Their first-born daughter, Amanda Belichick, came into the world in October 1984. A Wesleyan University product, she graduated in 2007 with a degree in history. A lacrosse coach, she’s held the head coaching title for her alma mater, as well as the College of the Holy Cross.
Following in her father’s footsteps as a head coach was a surprise to her as well. Talking to Sports Illustrated two years after taking over at Holy Cross, she admitted that her “intention was never to follow” in Belichick’s footsteps. However, “somehow I kind of have.”
The two clearly share a close relationship, with the lacrosse specialist confessing to her father’s role as a mentor in her career. Additionally, the eight-time Super Bowl champion has previously said, “The fact that she is in coaching creates a pretty interesting and special dynamic for us.”
Expanding on the topic, he revealed how the two switched from a father-daughter relationship to two coaches picking each other’s brains in an instant. “Learn from each other, try to get better and continue meeting our daily challenges in competition.”
Married to AJ DeSantis in 2017, the two first met three years prior. The couple has two children together – Jaycee, born in 2018, and a son born in 2020. The father-daughter duo still remains as tight as ever, with the 40-year-old tweeting, “Proud daughter day!” after he took over as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Steve Belichick
Speaking of the Tar Heels, we turn our attention to Belichick’s eldest son and the current defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the program, Steve Belichick.
Born less than three years after his elder sister, he also played lacrosse at the collegiate level for Rutgers, before lettering his senior year as a long snapper on their football squad. Like his sister, he also joined the family profession in 2012.
A coaching assistant for the Patriots initially, he eventually grew to be a safeties coach in 2016, before transitioning into the outside linebackers coach another four years later. Given their shared working space to this day, father and son have always been extremely close.
The greatest coach in football history has gone on record to say, “It’s special to be able to come in every day and see him. There were certainly a lot of days I wasn’t there when they were at school. I was doing my thing and they were doing theirs, so it’s great to be able to see him every day.”
Thankfully, it is a two-way street where the 38-year-old is concerned. Obviously, I love my dad. He’s my role model. He’s my idol. I want to be just like him. I have since I knew what an idol was.”
As for coaching alongside him, he described the experience as “rewarding.” The two left New England simultaneously, with the younger Belichick taking on a role as the defensive coordinator for the University of Washington.
But when the call from North Carolina rang, he was right back to working with his father. Also married, Steve tied the knot with Jennifer Schmitt the same year as his sister’s nuptials, getting married in June 2017.
The couple has four children together – Blake, Hayes, Quincy, and Rocco. However, the extended family has been the subject of a recent controversy, thanks to Schmitt.
Airing her criticism of her father-in-law’s young girlfriend, she pointed out the controlling nature Hudson exhibited during a now-viral interview he gave to CBS Sunday Morning.
Brian Belichick
Their youngest child, Brian Belichick, was also a lacrosse player for the Trinity College, where he graduated with a degree in anthropology in 2016. Soon after, he too joined his brother and father on the Patriots as a scouting assistant. Next year, he took over his brother’s old position of coaching assistant.
He was in constant communication with his elder brother, who described him as an “analytical thinker” and “really smart.” When the elder Belichick took over the outside linebackers room, his old safeties coach position went to the youngest son in the family.
When speaking about having both his sons with him on the team, Belichick claimed that no one knew the program as well as the two of them. Like his older brother, Brian Belichick, joined their father at UNC, taking on the defensive backs and safeties coach position.
“I think it’s awesome,” he said. “UNC’s a great school, football program, exciting fanbase nationally down there. People are excited, and that’s great.”
With his entire family in attendance, he tied the knot with Catherine McLaughlin in June 2021.
While all three are prominent coaches in their respective worlds, according to the all-time leader in NFL playoff victories, their choice of profession wasn’t by design.
“What I have always said to my kids, or really any young people that have asked me that question, is you have to follow your heart, do what your passion is. Don’t just take a job because it pays a little more money, just do what you want to do.”
