Belichick Got His Start with the Broncos

What if I told you that Patriots coach, Bill Belichick, got his big break from the Denver Broncos? According to the Denver Post, 30 years ago Belichick was unemployed, and trying to figure out what to do with his life at the age of 25. Fred Gehrke, former Broncos general manager, received a call from a friend at Navy who wanted his son to have a job. That friend was assistant coach, Steve Belichick, and his son, Bill, wanted to learn more about football. Gehrke asked head coach, Red Miller, to do him a favor and bring Belichick aboard. Forget about the $4 million a year that he makes now. When he first started with the Broncos, he was a “go-fer” getting free room and board along with a few bucks. That may have been the time when he learned how to cook his specialty dish, BB PB&J:

During Belichick’s time with the Broncos he was tardy with a few scouting reports, and was threatened to be let go if it happened again. Miller said, ” I didn’t think he was good, bad or indifferent. He had his ups and downs, in general. But he was a sponge. Whatever we said and did, he took it all in.” His patience and willingness to learn certainly got him to where he is today.

Miller also said, “I don’t like to say anything negative about somebody,” but Belichick “was the most dour young man I’ve ever been around.” Maybe that trait will make him the greatest NFL coach of all time.