Bill Belichick Walks Back Marv Levy Remark, Open to Coach Into His 70s

In an NFL Films production of A Football Life shot a decade ago, Bill Belichick, who had only won three Super Bowls with the Patriots at the time, offered a glimpse into his thoughts about the future.

“I have a hard time picturing not coaching football at this point,” he said. “I mean, I don’t want to be like Marv Levy and coaching when I’m in my 70s. You don’t have to worry about that. But, fortunately, that’s a few years off.”

Belichick said that before he was 60. Now, three Super Bowl wins (and two losses) later, he’s 67 and still contemplating his NFL future. And based on a recent interview with Boston sports radio station WEEI, it sounds as if Belichick’s thinking has changed.

“When I said it, maybe I didn’t know what 70 felt like,” Belichick told WEEI. “So I’m not really sure if that’s an accurate statement today or not. At the time, I didn’t feel that way. Now that I’m closer to that age, I don’t know.”

One of the reasons Belichick may want to stay on the sidelines into his 70s is to catch Don Shula for most all-time wins by an NFL coach. Belichick collected his 300th win on Sunday during a win over the Browns and is now just 47 behind Shula. At the very least, it sounds like Belichick will stick around long enough to pass George Halas (324 wins) on the all-time list.

Another reason Belichick may want to continue coaching for the Patriots is the presence of two of his children on New England’s staff. His son Steve is in his eighth season with the club and serves as the safeties coach. Brian Belichick is in his fourth season with the team and works as a general coaching assistant.

But the biggest reason Belichick probably won’t walk away from coaching is that he still enjoys it and, more importantly, he’s still at the top of his game. If the Patriots make the Super Bowl this season, Belichick will match Levy with four straight appearances in the big game. Unlike Levy, Belichick has actually won a few of them.

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Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”