The New England Patriots destroyed the Indianapolis Colts, 45-7, at Gillette Stadium in the AFC Championship, giving Patriots head coach Bill Belichick his 21st postseason victory good for an all-time NFL record.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick earns record for most postseason wins
Belichick has proven to be one of the all-time greats coaches in the NFL, reaching the Super Bowl once again.
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Belichick came into the contest tied with legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry with 20 wins, but now claims ownership of the most postseason wins in league history. By beating Indianapolis, Belichick also reaches his sixth Super Bowl, tying him with former Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula for the most appearances.
Belichick's first postseason victory came in 1994 when he coached the Cleveland Browns -- coincidentally beating the Patriots at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. His second playoff win would not come until 2001 as New England's man in charge, defeating the Oakland Raiders in the infamous "tuck rule" game. Since that time, Belichick has won three Super Bowls and racked up a 13-3 postseason record at home with the Patriots.
New England enjoyed a dynastic run between 2001-04, winning a trio of championships in four seasons. During that stretch, Belichick was 9-0. However, beginning with an upset defeat to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII that ruined the Patriots’ perfect season, Belichick lost three consecutive playoff games from 2007-10. The future Hall of Famer has righted the ship in recent years, reaching four straight AFC Championships and winning twice.
Should Belichick go on and win it all, he will join Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the only head coaches to win four Super Bowls. Currently, Belichick is in a group with Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs, all having won three.
See More:
