Eight-time Super Bowl champion and former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has become an interesting factor in the Washington Huskies’ first season in the Big Ten, helping coach Jedd Fisch’s team during spring and fall practice.
Whenever he’s on the field, the future Hall of Famer is usually flanked by his son Steve, Washington’s defensive coordinator, whose father is uncharted territory. This is the first time in almost 50 years that he doesn’t have a job in the NFL, and although some might find it hard to believe, he does talk about things other than football.
“The guy’s my dad, so we don’t just talk football,” Steve said Tuesday when asked how his father may contribute to Washington this fall. “We have a life, and we talk about father and son things. He’s also a football coach just like me, but we do other things, believe it or not.”
“He’s a mentor to me on and off the field, but the thing that I appreciate the most about my dad is that he calls to check in on me as a person, and if football comes up, it comes up. I can call him about stuff in life or stuff in football, just like other people who are older than me…but surprisingly, there’s more to our relationship than just football.”
In an interview on the Pat McAfee Show, Bill Belichick took a similar approach when discussing his role during his time in Seattle.
“Jedd’s got the whistle. I’m just here to watch, and sometimes they ask me to look at something or what I think about this or that. It’s really great to see these guys, and Jedd’s got a great staff and is doing a great job with this program.”
With some time on his hands and as the original architect of Washington’s exciting defensive scheme, the elder Belichick’s effect could be seen on the field later on in the season if the coaching staff consults with him on film reviews as the Huskies continue to make adjustments throughout the year.