Bill Belichick is not the head coach of the New England Patriots. That hasn’t been a reality since before the 2000 season. In between, we witnessed his team in nine Super Bowls, with the Pats winning six of them. I could go on, but there’s no need since this is a baseball page.
Within the next few weeks (days?), Belichick seems likely to take a new job instead of just retiring. The Patriots weren’t his first act as head coach, of course, as he was the Browns coach for five years before that. This next act, however, could add to his stature or could be an incredibly unforgettable venture.
Major League Baseball has had examples of both. Belichick will hope to follow a similar path to Bruce Bochy, who just won another World Series ring in his first season managing the Texas Rangers. But here are also some MLB examples in the opposite direction. Let’s take a look.
Bruce Bochy
Bochy, like Belichick, had a stint before the one that would make him into a legend. He was with the Padres for 12 seasons and did win their second pennant. His 13 years with the Giants, however, brought the San Francisco its first Giants World Series championship in 2010. Then Bochy’s Giants won it all again in 2012 and 2014. His retirement after the 2019 season felt similar to Belichick in that it appeared he didn’t really want to leave but understood the circumstances dictated a departure.
