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Belichick Took Long Road To Top Of Profession

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 29, 2008

PHOENIX - Bill Belichick has risen to greatness with the Patriots. He has coached them to three Super Bowl championships. He is one victory away from another and the first 19-0 season in NFL history.

But he rose through the ranks elsewhere first. He spent 1976 and '77 as an assistant with the Lions, for whom his father, Steve, played fullback in 1941. And he spent 12 years with the Giants, his opponent Sunday in Super Bowl XLII.

"It's an organization that I have quite a bit of history with, and I have a lot of respect for those people," Belichick said. "I certainly have fond memories from the years that I was there."

Belichick and Giants coach Tom Coughlin were on the Giants' staff together in 1989 and '90. Belichick was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Coughlin coached the wide receivers.

"We worked together on a day-to-day basis, doing one-on-ones, seven-on-seven passing drills and those kinds of things," Belichick said. "I think we had a real good off-the-field relationship, talking about different techniques, strategies, coverages, routes and so forth."

They continued talking after their paths diverged, and now their teams schedule annual preseason games against each other.

"I have a lot of respect for Tom," Belichick said. "He is a hard-working guy. He's smart, and he's tough. He's loyal and demands a lot out of his players, and I respect the way he coaches his team and certainly the success they've had this year. ... I'm happy for his success - not this week, but in all the other games."

PICKING GIANTS: Patriots DE Richard Seymour expected the Giants to be here, after the Patriots had to rally to beat them in Week 17, 38-35.

"I picked them out of the NFC," he said. "I faced that team, and I saw that they had talent on their side of the ball and they also play the game tough."

BRADY PRACTICES: Brady was back where he belongs Monday, behind center for the Patriots' first practice session of Super Bowl week.

The NFL's Most Valuable Player missed three practices last week with a tender right ankle, which he had taped for Monday's training at Arizona State in nearby Tempe. According to a pool report filed by the Chicago Tribune's Dan Pompei, the only reporter allowed to watch practice, the star quarterback appeared to have a slight limp. But he participated in all phases of practice, including jogging the length of the field twice at the end of drills.

Tribune wires

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