LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Belichick is NFL’s GOAT coach

To the Editor:

Bill Belichick just had the greatest run of any head coach in NFL history.

In a total of 24 seasons, the Patriots won 17 AFC East titles, reached nine Super Bowls, and won six of them. All during an era in which the league was set up for turnover and parity, as was the case for nearly every other team during that same stretch.

Two things can be true at once: Tom Brady can be the best player in NFL history, and Bill Belichick can be the greatest coach in NFL history. Brady undoubtedly helped Belichick have immense success, while Belichick played a massive role in Brady’s development. They are the GOATs at their respective jobs.

Under Belichick’s leadership, the Patriots had an unparalleled run of unlikely success stories forged by his relentless scouting pursuits and the belief that as a coach you needed to focus on what a player could do best and maximize that.

And on the field, anyone who appreciates football scheme and strategy has been glued to the Patriots for 24 seasons. Belichick crafted some of the greatest individual game plans in history, including Super Bowl XXXVI, when the team pulled what was then the biggest Super Bowl upset ever over the St. Louis Rams. Every game was like a learning experience for football junkies, as the preparation and attention to detail were off the charts.

An iconic 24-year stretch.

Paul Bacon

Hallandale Beach, Fla.