Not Just Belichick and Brady: The 2009 Patriots Coaching Staff

After an unprecedented run of success, New England Patriots fans live by one maxim: In Belichick We Trust. 

Certain to be enshrined in pro football’s Hall of Fame, New England Patriots head  coach Bill Belichick is one of the NFL’s top coaches.  Though never the cheeriest nor the best dressed, Belichick has amassed an impressive resume in his nine seasons as coach of the Patriots.  He’s the only coach to win three Super Bowls in five years.  He’s the only coach to lead a team to a perfect 16-0 regular season.  He’s won almost 150 games.  And he probably holds the record for giving fans the least amount of information over nine seasons of press conferences. 

Belichick has won as many Super Bowls as legendary coaches Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs and he’s not done yet.  He has engineered tough teams that dominated with defense and has lead teams with prolific offensive firepower.  Most importantly, he has assembled rosters full of talent, while mastering the almost impossible of getting modern athletes commit to teamwork and winning at all costs.  Pats fans know Coach Bill is the mastermind behind the teams’ recent dominance, but he’s not a one man show. 

Buoyed by the Patriots’ success, each year Belichick assistants move on to bigger and better jobs.  He has mentored NFL head coaches Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Josh McDaniels, as well as college head-men Nick Saban and Charlie Weis.  But the bedrock of the Pats’ success lie in Belichick, and in veteran assistants Dante Scarnecchia and Dean Pees.

As old and wise as I am, Coach Scarnecchia began his tenure with the Patriots years before I was born.  A fixture on the Pats’ sideline, he has been an assistant coach with the team since 1982, when he became the special teams and tight ends coach.  Aside from a brief two-year stint with the Colts, Scarnecchia has roamed the Pats’ practice fields since.  Surviving four regime changes is a testament to Scarnecchia’s reputation and impact in the cutthroat NFL coaching fraternity where new coaches routinely pack the sidelines with trusted minions. 

Besides coaching special teams and tight ends, Scarnecchia has been a defensive assistant and currently serves as the Offensive Line coach.  Belichick also promoted Scarnecchia to assistant head coach before the 2000 season.

As one of Belichick’s most trusted lieutenants, Scarnecchia has coached in four Super Bowls.  But, like Belichick, Scarnecchia avoids the spotlight like Tom Brady avoids Bridget Moynihan, and is famous for his lunch-pail work ethic. 

In an ESPN article, Belichick was as effusive in his praise for Scarnecchia as he’s ever been about anyone.  "A smart football coach," Belichick said of Scarnecchia. "A detailed [sic] guy who works hard and who gets his players to work hard, too, and who isn't worried about where the credit goes. Which is about all you can ask of a guy."

Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees has lead one of the league’s top defensive units since 2006.  With over 36 years of coaching experience, Pees has also been a collegiate head coach and has coached the linebackers for the Patriots.  In 2006, his first season as Defensive Coordinator, Pees’ defense set a franchise record for fewest points allowed per game, and in 2007 the unit ranked fourth in the league in fewest yards allowed.

Coaching the Patriots is Pees’ first foray in the NFL, after coaching at Miami, Navy, Toledo, Notre Dame, and Kent State.  Pees’ defenses play a physical, disciplined 3-4 and are known for their versatile linebackers.

Though he has only served under Belichick for three seasons, Pees is one of the coach’s most trusted deputies.  Belichick has routinely praised Pees for his experience and especially for his head coaching tenure in which he revitalized the Kent State football program.

With the departure of former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels, Belichick will lean heavily on Scarnecchia and quarterbacks coach Bill O’Brien when running the offense this season.  McDaniels presided over one of the most potent offensive units of all time in 2007 and mentored Matt Cassel who more than ably lead the team after Tom Brady’s knee injury in Week One.  With Brady’s return, an improved running game lead by free-agent signee Fred Taylor, and three top receivers in fine form, Scarnecchia and O’Brien could lead a record-setting year for the Patriots offense.

With 13 different coaches, Belichick has a full staff to help prepare the team each week.  Without an offensive coordinator, he’ll handle most of the play-calling in consultation with Scarnecchia and Bill O’Brien.  Look for first-year Patriot coach Scott O’Brien, who will handle special teams, to make an instant impact.  He has coached for 19 years and was named special teams coach of the year in 1994.  Belichick will also rely on linebacker coach Matt Patricia and defensive line coach Pepper Johnson to help run the defense.

Especially after losing personnel genius Scott Pioli to the Chiefs, Belichick makes all of the important decisions and holds the keys to the Patriots’ success, both on and off the field.  Belichick’s staff, however, is ready for the rigors of an NFL season.  Every coach, but especially Scarnecchia and Pees, is a key cog in the Patriots’ winning machine and will look to help Belichick to his fourth Super Bowl title.  And if you’re a Pats fan you wouldn’t have it any other way.