If Bill Belichick retired today, he'd be the greatest coach in NFL history.
But the New England Patriots head coach is celebrating his birthday Thursday the same way he has for the past 45 years: preparing for a new NFL season.
As Belichick turns 68 on April 16, 2020 -- 20 years to the day after he drafted Tom Brady -- Boston Sports Info (@BostonSportsInf) put some historical perspective around his legendary career.
Belichick's career is far from over, though -- and he still has more history to chase.
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Belichick is set to become just the sixth head coach in NFL history to coach a game past his 68th birthday. The previous five coaches all are either in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (George Halas, Marv Levy) or have won at least one Super Bowl title (Pete Carroll, Dick Vermeil, Tom Coughlin).
New England Patriots
But how did they fare after turning 68? Boston Sports Info has the details below.
Carroll (the only active NFL coach older than Belichick) went 11-5 with the Seattle Seahawks last season after turning 68 in September to boast the best winning percentage on this list.
The rest of the group hovered just above .500 on the other side of 68, while Coughlin's New York Giants took a nosedive before he stepped away in 2015.
Will Belichick coach five more seasons until he's 73 years old? If so, he could surpass Levy, who has the most wins after his 68th birthday with 45.
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Belichick has his work cut out for him without Tom Brady: Oddsmakers predict the Patriots will barely reach .500 in 2020 after the quarterback signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.
If the Patriots head coach wants extra motivation, though, no NFL coach in the modern era has won a Super Bowl after his 68th birthday. (Halas' Chicago Bears won the 1963 NFL Championship four years before Super Bowl I.)
Your move, Bill.