Breaking News: confirmed the appointment of Steve Belichick as their defensive coordinator.
Washington’s coaching team will include a Belichick and a Carroll, though they might not be the ones you’re familiar with. Steve Belichick, the son of the esteemed coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick, has been named as UW’s forthcoming defensive coordinator, as confirmed by the program on Tuesday. Steve Belichick held positions on his father’s New England staff from 2012 to 2023, where he was responsible for calling defensive plays for the Patriots over the past four seasons.
In Seattle, he will be part of the coaching staff alongside UW offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Brennan Carroll, who is the son of longtime Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Brennan Carroll held the same role for the past three seasons under UW coach Jedd Fisch at Arizona.
Belichick, 36, has held various positions in New England, serving as the Patriots’ defensive assistant from 2012 to 2015, safeties coach from 2016 to 2019, and outside linebackers coach from 2020 to 2023. This will be his first time holding the title of defensive coordinator and his first venture into college football.
However, Belichick is not the only Patriots assistant making the move to Montlake. Former Alabama safety Vinnie Sunseri, who spent the past three seasons as New England’s running backs coach, has also joined Fisch’s staff. He is expected to work with UW’s defensive backs, alongside Husky secondary coach John Richardson.
Fisch is well acquainted with both Belichick and Sunseri, as he served as the Patriots’ quarterbacks coach in 2020.
“Fisch expressed his enthusiasm for the NFL Pipeline at Montlake in a social media post on Tuesday.
Despite Bill Belichick’s departure from New England this winter following a 4-13 season, the Patriots defense continued to excel under Steve Belichick’s play calling. The unit led the NFL in opponent yards per carry (3.3) during the regular season, while also ranking highly in opponent yards per play (4.7), opponent first downs (fifth), total defense (seventh, allowing 301.6 yards per game), opponent yards per pass attempt (tenth), and scoring defense (fifteenth, allowing 21.5 points per game).
However, the Patriots struggled with generating pressure, recording just 36 sacks, the sixth fewest in the league, despite ranking fourth in blitz percentage (blitzing on 35.2% of defensive snaps).
Last month, Fisch hinted at Belichick’s eventual hire when outlining his vision for UW’s defense. He emphasized the importance of implementing an NFL-style defensive system, aiming for consistency and sustainability. Fisch highlighted the desire for a base four-down front with elements of odd principles and a focus on pressuring the quarterback. Crucially, he stressed the necessity of excelling in man-to-man coverage, citing Bill Belichick’s teams as exemplars in this aspect of defense, which allows for greater flexibility in defensive schemes.”
Undoubtedly, this task poses challenges. Currently, UW is anticipated to retain only two defensive starters from a unit that secured a Pac-12 championship and reached the national championship game this winter: senior linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala and junior cornerback Elijah Jackson.
As UW transitions to the Big Ten Conference, both Belichick and Sunseri will need to demonstrate their prowess as recruiters. While their experience in college coaching may be limited, their track record in the NFL could serve as a recruiting advantage.
Fisch emphasized the significance of their NFL background last month, considering it a key selling point. Having spent 14 years in NFL draft rooms, Fisch is well-versed in what NFL scouts and teams seek in players. He believes that this insight, gained from daily experiences in NFL environments, sets them apart from those without NFL coaching experience.
Steve Belichick attended Rutgers University, where he primarily played lacrosse but also contributed as a long snapper on the football team in 2011. Additionally, his brother, Brian Belichick, also served on the Patriots’ coaching staff, initially as a coaching assistant from 2017 to 2019, before assuming the role of safeties coach from 2020 to 2023.
