Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots' Bill Belichick names the three best players he's ever coached

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 8/21/23

When discussing Tom Brady's upcoming return to Gillette Stadium on Monday morning, Bill Belichick named the three best players he's ever coached.
The longtime New England Patriots head coached picked Brady as the best offensive player he's ever coached, while naming Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor and 10-time Pro Bowl special teamer Matthew Slater as the top guys on defense and special teams respectively.

Bill Belichick's full quote on the Patriots honoring Tom Brady in Week 1.

Needless to say, Belichick thinks pretty highly of the ex-Patriots QB. pic.twitter.com/BwxTVZuEQv
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) August 21, 2023

The "GOAT" and the 71-year-old Belichick had the longest on-field relationship of any of the three pairings, spending 20 years together from the time the quarterback was selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft until he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020. Brady was picked by the organization in the draft just three-plus months after Belichick was introduced as the head coach and the duo ended up winning six Super Bowls together.

Slater was selected by New England in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft and with 15 seasons under Belichick, is the longest-tenured member of the team. The son of Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater (who made seven Pro Bowls himself) has been a co-captain of the Patriots since 2011 and his 10 special teams Pro Bowl selections are an NFL record.

"L.T." is only seven years Belichick's junior and is from his earliest NFL coaching days.

Belichick's first NFL gig was as the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants for six seasons 1985-1990. Belichick was able to witness Taylor in his prime, as the 1981 second overall pick made all 10 of his Pro Bowls from his rookie season through 1990, earned all eight of his First-Team All-Pro honors between 1981 and 1989, won his third and final AP Defensive Player of the Year award in 1986 and captured the NFL MVP that season as well.

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