The Tom Brady–Bill Belichick era, also known as the Brady–Belichick era, the New England Patriots dynasty, or the Patriots dynasty, was a sports dynasty of the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL) that lasted from the 2001 to the 2019 season. The dynasty is named after quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, who are regarded as among the greatest in their respective positions. Belichick and Brady are consistently credited with the Patriots' success and are considered responsible for one of the sport's longest and most dominant dynasties. They are also credited with helping to create and sustain the culture around the team, dubbed the "Patriot Way", where there is an emphasis on personal accountability, consistent improvement, and a focus on team success over personal gain.
Under Belichick and Brady, the Patriots played in nine Super Bowls, more than any other NFL franchise, and won a league-record six (tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers). They also had 19 consecutive winning seasons, 17 division titles (including 11 consecutive from 2009 to 2019), 13 AFC Championship Game appearances (including eight consecutive from 2011 to 2018), and the only undefeated 16-game regular season in 2007. The Patriots appeared in half of all Super Bowls played during Brady's 18 seasons as the primary starter and won two-thirds of those they played in.
In addition to helping set the Patriots' franchise records, Brady and Belichick hold the records for the most Super Bowl appearances and victories by a player and head coach, respectively. Belichick also holds the records for the most playoff wins by a head coach (31) and Super Bowl appearances by an individual (12), while Brady holds the quarterback records for career wins (264), regular season wins (230), and playoff wins (34) and the record for Super Bowl MVP awards (five).
The era came to an end when Brady left the Patriots as a free agent for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020, though Belichick remains as of the 2023 season.
Bill Belichick
Belichick first joined the Patriots in 1996 as an assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for Bill Parcells. He previously spent 13 years with the New York Giants from 1979 to 1990. During this period, he was the defensive coordinator during the Giants' 20–19 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
The Patriots went 11–5 in 1996 and earned a trip to Super Bowl XXXI, but lost to the Green Bay Packers. Belichick subsequently served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the New York Jets. When Parcells, then their head coach, retired in 1999, Belichick resigned as his successor and went to New England, this time as their head coach. In his tenure in New England, the Patriots have missed the playoffs only five times: 2000 (5–11), 2002 (9–7), 2008 (11–5), 2020 (7–9), and 2022 (8-9). In 2008, Belichick coached the Patriots to an 11–5 record despite losing franchise quarterback Tom Brady in Week 1 versus the Kansas City Chiefs. A series of division tiebreakers left the 11–5 Miami Dolphins as AFC East champions, making the 2008 Patriots the second team in NFL history to go 11-5 and miss the playoffs.
In 2010, he was selected as the first team head coach in the National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team. He has won the AP Coach of the Year award three times in his career, all during his time with the Patriots. As head coach, Belichick is 225–79 (.740 winning percentage) in regular season games and has coached the Patriots to 40 postseason games, winning 30. From 2010 to 2017, Belichick coached the Patriots to 8 consecutive 12+ win seasons, an NFL record. The Patriots, since 2002, have lost more than 5 games just three times. As the Patriots head coach, Belichick has had just three losing seasons, in 2000, 2020 and 2022. In 21 seasons from 2001 onwards, the Patriots have won 16 AFC East titles and earned a wild-card berth in 2021. Such dominance in the salary cap era, which limits teams in how much they can pay players and therefore forces parity, is credited to Belichick's football prowess.