Bill Belichick’s Unparalleled Legacy in New England

In March 2019, NFL owners invited guest speakers to their annual gathering of the powerful. Thus one of the world’s foremost authors and speakers on the ancient philosophy of stoicism ended up at a cocktail reception with league power brokers.

Ryan Holiday didn’t know Bill Belichick personally. He did know that coaches and executives from the New England Patriots, the franchise Belichick transformed into a modern dynasty when NFL dynasties were supposed to be like dinosaurs, had publicly embraced his work and its relevance in sports, something that had never happened before. He saw Belichick standing at a table, alone, emitting do-not-disturb vibes.

It hasn’t been the case recently, but over more than two decades, Belichick walked off the Gillette Stadium field in triumph far more often than in defeat. 

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated