An underreported storyline from last Sunday’s Jets-Patriots game was that Bill Belichick and Tom Brady became the winningest head coach-quarterback tandem of the Super Bowl era (since 1966). They registered their 117th regular-season victory to move past Don Shula and Dan Marino, who totaled 116 for the Miami Dolphins from 1983-95.
The Belichick-Brady run is an impressive achievement that has not been without some storm clouds. In February 2002, Belichick chose to start Brady instead of Drew Bledsoe in the Super Bowl against St. Louis. It was not an easy decision. Bledsoe had replaced an injured Brady in the A.F.C. Championship game at Pittsburgh, and Bledsoe threw a clutch touchdown pass on the way to leading the Patriots to a 24-17 victory.
Brady had struggled in the six games before the A.F.C. Championship, throwing only two touchdown passes with six interceptions. Also, Brady had replaced an injured Bledsoe earlier that season. The case was made that Bledsoe deserved to reclaim the starting job. The popular Bledsoe had been the Patriots starter since being drafted first overall in 1993, while Brady was taken in the sixth round in 2000.
But Brady led the Patriots to a 20-17 victory in Super Bowl XXXVI and was named its most valuable player.
Most coach-quarterback tandems do not win a championship so early in their terms with a team. The Patriots’ Super Bowl championship over St. Louis came in Belichick’s second year. New England was 5-11 in his first season. Brady was in his second year as well, but he didn’t get his first start until Bledsoe got hurt in 2001.
But win-now formulas are always tempting. And if general managers and coaches have tenuous holds on their jobs it is difficult for them to think long-term.
I researched the 32 N.F.L. teams to find out where each currently stands in the head coach-quarterback wins category. It’s clear which teams put a premium on continuity and stability. Here are the top 10, in order of total victories:
131-40, Belichick-Brady, New England Passing Shula and Marino after winning three Super Bowls? Enough said.
70-49, Tom Coughlin-Eli Manning, Giants That this pair is second on the list is notable, considering how many times fans and commentators have called for either or both of their dismissals. Weekly booing of Manning occurred as late as 2007, right before the Giants’ Super Bowl run.
60-35, Sean Payton-Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis struck gold in 2006 by landing Sean Payton as a first-time head coach and Brees as an accomplished quarterback coming off a shoulder injury. Their Super Bowl Championship came after the 2009 season.
52-23, Mike Tomlin-Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Tomlin replaced Bill Cowher in 2007, and the Steelers won their seventh Super Bowl in his second season. Roethlisberger won a Super Bowl with Cowher after the 2005 season.
48-31, Norv Turner-Philip Rivers, San Diego The first of the top pairings not to have won a Super Bowl. Turner and Tomlin are the two most prominent examples of coaches who joined a team where the quarterback was already established.
42-22, John Harbaugh-Joe Flacco, Baltimore Harbaugh was hired and Flacco was drafted prior to the 2008 season, when they had their best success by reaching the A.F.C. Championship game before losing to Pittsburgh.
40-21, Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay After hovering near .500 for almost three seasons, the Packers are 16-0 since Rodgers returned to the lineup after being knocked out of a game with a concussion last season against the Lions.
38-19, Mike Smith-Matt Ryan, Atlanta Like Harbaugh and Flacco, both were brought in before the 2008 season. They are 0-2 in the postseason.
32-32, Gary Kubiak-Matt Schaub, Houston Schaub was brought in for the 2007 season, but the Texans haven’t reached the playoffs since joining the N.F.L. in 2002. Schaub’s foot injury puts a crimp in what is shaping up to be the Texans’ best season.
28-18, Rex Ryan-Mark Sanchez, Jets Thanks to four postseason victories, the Jets crack the top 10 in only the third season of the Ryan-Sanchez pairing. They are the most accomplished of the 2009 class.
Other pairings with more than 10 victories together are: Jim Caldwell-Peyton Manning, Indianapolis (26-10); Lovie Smith-Jay Cutler, Chicago (24-18); Todd Haley-Matt Cassel, Kansas City (18-22); Raheem Morris-Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay (17-17); Tony Sparano-Chad Henne, Miami (13-18); Andy Reid-Michael Vick, Philadelphia (11-10).
Extra Point Is it fair to draw a correlation between long-term franchise success and continuity and stability in the head coach-quarterback tandem?
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