Belichick’s reported salary makes him highest-paid coach in sports originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Bill Belichick has plenty of things to worry about as head coach of the New England Patriots. Financial security isn’t one of them.
Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen shared a list of the highest-paid coaches in North American sports Monday morning, and Belichick tops the entire list at a cool $20 million per year.
Belichick’s lucrative contract is worth $5 million more annually than the second-highest-paid coach, Seattle Seahawks boss Pete Carroll. Six of the 10 highest-earning coaches are in the NFL, while one (San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich) is in the NBA and the other three are in college football.
But Belichick stands head and shoulders above his peers.
Belichick certainly has earned his paycheck; he’s won more Super Bowl titles (six) than any head coach in NFL history, and he ranks second on the NFL’s all-time coaching wins list at 327, trailing Don Shula by only 20.
Still, it may surprise you to learn that Belichick makes this much. His annual salary is at least $6 million higher than every player on the Patriots roster, and he’s actually making more than ex-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who’s playing on a one-year, $15 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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The Patriots have struggled since Brady’s departure with a 23-23 record and zero playoff wins over the last two-plus seasons. New England is 6-6 following a 14-point loss to the Buffalo Bills and faces an uphill battle to reach the postseason.
If the Patriots miss the playoffs, there could be major changes in New England. But it appears Belichick will still cash a heftier check than any coach on the continent.