Bill Belichick will likely go down as one of the best coaches in NFL history, if not the best.
Belichick has been credited with helping grow and develop Tom Brady and turning the New England Patriots into a true dynasty.
He is no longer with the Patriots and currently doesn’t have a coaching gig, but he mentored and taught so many throughout his career.
The Belichick “Coaching Tree,” as some like to call it, has many branches.
Many of his former assistants and coordinators have gone on to accept job promotions in the coaching sector, taking what they learned from him and applying it to their own teams.
One such example of this is Patrick Graham, the Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive coordinator.
Graham recently sat down with Maxx Crosby, joining him for his podcast to talk about the best lesson he received from the legendary coach.
“He was a great listener. I realized I had to do a better job listening,” Graham exclaimed.
The #1 lesson learned coaching under Bill Belichick 👀
FULL PATRICK GRAHAM EP ⬇️https://t.co/PHmaAbCtvM pic.twitter.com/jdkOkYfnhV
— The Rush Podcast (@TheRushWithMaxx) July 31, 2024
Graham did mention that Belichick taught him plenty about the game of football, and what it means to be a head coach.
Despite all of the technical aspects he learned, Graham’s biggest takeaway was to be a better listener.
Whether it’s to his players, fellow coaches, or other people in his life, listening has proven to be an impactful skill for Graham.
It seemed to work for Belichick, and if more coaches can adopt this philosophy, their influence on the game will be that much stronger.
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