Steve Belichick hired as University of Washington's defensive coordinator after 12 years with Patriots
The New England Patriots are down two Belichicks instead of just one.
The University of Washington announced Tuesday that Steve Belichick would be the team's new defensive coordinator. Washington will have a new coaching staff in 2024 after making the national title game at the end of the 2023 season. After coach Kalen DeBoer went to Alabama to replace the retiring Nick Saban, Washington hired Arizona coach Jedd Fisch.
It’s official 🤝
Steve Belichick … Welcome to the 206 pic.twitter.com/So5nFaYeWn— Washington Football (@UW_Football) February 6, 2024
As you may have guessed from the last name, Steve Belichick is the son of Bill Belichick, who served as the head coach and GM of the Patriots until last month. Steve spent 12 years with the Patriots, having been hired by his dad in 2012 as an assistant coach.
After four years as an assistant coach, Steve Belichick was promoted to safeties coach ahead of the 2016 season. He called the defensive plays in 2019, and in 2020 took over as outside linebackers coach.
Steve and his brother Brian, who is the Patriots' safeties coach, didn't have to leave the Patriots following their dad's departure. According to ESPN, new head coach Jerod Mayo were giving both Belichick boys opportunities to stay with the team. Mayo has said that he and Steve are close, dating back to when he was on injured reserve as a player.
"I spent a lot of time with Steve in the dungeon, and we would go in there and break down film and talk ball," Mayo said in mid-December via ESPN. "Hearing it from him, from a coach's perspective — one of the greatest head coaches' sons; and then I brought the on-the-field perspective.
"Even back then, 2013, 2014, we just had a connection. We kind of spoke the same language. With that being said, when we game-planned [as coaches] and talked to the players and things like that, it was very natural. I love coaching with Steve."
The younger Belichick also has a previous connection with Fisch. Before becoming Arizona’s coach in 2021, Fisch served as the quarterbacks coach for the Patriots during the 2020 season. Fisch was hired at Washington after turning Arizona around during his three-year tenure. After Arizona went 1-11 in his first season, the Wildcats were 5-7 in 2022 and finished the 2023 season at 10-3.
