What is Bill Belichick's Net Worth and Salary?
Bill Belichick, an esteemed American football head coach, boasts a net worth of $70 million. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, a talent likely inherited from his father, a seasoned assistant coach and college football scout. Belichick began his illustrious career in 1975 with the Baltimore Colts. By the 1980s, he had advanced to the role of defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, earning accolades as one of the game's brightest minds. His tenure as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in the early 1990s was turbulent, but he found immense success after the New England Patriots hired him in 2000, leading the team to eight Super Bowl victories.
Patriots Contract and Salary
While the exact details of Belichick's contract are not publicly known, insiders suggest he is the highest-paid coach in the NFL. Jon Gruden's 10-year $100 million contract, signed in 2019, offers some insight, with an annual salary of $10 million before bonuses. Belichick reportedly earns at least $12.5 million in base salary, with some estimates suggesting it could be as much as $25 million. His last known contract extension was signed in 2007, keeping him with the Patriots through 2013, with additional extensions signed thereafter.
Early Life
Born William Stephen Belichick on April 16, 1952, in Nashville, Tennessee, Bill grew up in Annapolis, Maryland. His mother, Jeannette, and father, Steve, who worked as an assistant football coach at the United States Naval Academy, profoundly influenced his early interest in football. Bill's godfather was Bill Edwards, a College Football Hall of Fame coach. As a youth, Bill often attended practice sessions and coaches' meetings with his father, developing a keen understanding of the game's intricacies. He attended Annapolis High School and was a member of both the football and lacrosse teams. After graduating in 1970, he spent a postgraduate year at Massachusetts' Phillips Academy to improve his academic standings, eventually gaining acceptance to Wesleyan University. At Wesleyan, he played tight end and center on the football team, captained the lacrosse team, played squash, and joined the Chi Psi fraternity. He graduated in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in economics.
NFL Coaching Career
After his graduation, Belichick started his professional career with the Baltimore Colts, earning $25 per week as an assistant to head coach Ted Marchibroda. He transitioned to the Detroit Lions as an assistant special teams coach in 1976, and by 1977, he was coaching wide receivers and tight ends. In 1978, he joined the Denver Broncos as a defensive assistant and assistant special teams coach. The following year, he began working with the New York Giants and started coaching linebackers in 1980. As the Giants' defensive coordinator in 1985, he led the team to Super Bowl victories in 1987 and 1991, securing a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his defensive game plan. He served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1991 until 1995, with plans to coach the new Baltimore team before being dismissed.
In 1996, Belichick was hired by the New England Patriots as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach. By 1997, he was with the New York Jets as interim head coach before becoming assistant head coach and defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells. Parcells had arranged for Belichick to take over in 1999, but Belichick resigned during a press conference the day after his appointment. He returned to the Patriots in 2000 as head coach and general manager. Despite the "Spygate" scandal in 2007, where the Patriots were fined and lost a draft pick for illegal videotaping, Belichick's success remained unmatched. Under his leadership, the Patriots achieved unprecedented success, including nine Super Bowl appearances and six wins in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, and 2019.
(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Personal Life
Bill married Debby Clarke in 1977, and they had three children: Amanda, Stephen, and Brian, divorcing in 2006 after separating in 2004. Their separation followed allegations of Bill's relationship with Sharon Shenocca, a former receptionist for the Giants. Amanda continued her lacrosse career at Wesleyan and later became the women's lacrosse coach at Holy Cross College. Stephen and Brian have both worked for the Patriots, Stephen as an assistant coach and safeties coach, and Brian as a scouting assistant. Since 2007, Bill has been in a relationship with Linda Holliday, who serves as the Executive Director of the Bill Belichick Foundation, offering financial support, coaching, and mentorship in football and lacrosse.
Awards and Honors
The Associated Press has named Belichick NFL Coach of the Year three times, for the 2003, 2007, and 2010 seasons. He is also the only active head coach selected for the National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. Bill was inducted into the Wesleyan University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Phillips Academy Athletics Hall of Honor in 2011. In 2017, Wesleyan renamed its Warren Street lobby "Belichick Plaza."
Real Estate
In 1979, the Belichicks purchased two lots on Shell Street in Sconset, Massachusetts, for $70,000 and built three homes, one for themselves and the others for Bill's and Debby's parents. In 2006, the couple acquired a five-bedroom home in Nantucket for $4.6 million, which Debby kept post-divorce. In 2014, corporations formed by Bill bought a Shell Street property for $870,000 and a nearby two-bedroom home for $2.45 million.
