Legendary former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is set to release a new book titled “The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football.” The memoir reflects on Belichick’s storied coaching career, with much of its focus centered on his decades-long tenure in Foxborough.
While the book follows the traditional tone of a coach’s retrospective, one revelation stands out: Belichick admits he made a critical mistake during the 2018 NFL Draft. At the time, the Patriots held a pick just ahead of the Baltimore Ravens, who would go on to select quarterback Lamar Jackson. Rather than choosing Jackson as Tom Brady’s eventual replacement, Belichick opted for Georgia running back Sony Michel.
Although New England captured the Super Bowl that season, the long-term consequences soon became evident. Michel failed to live up to expectations, bouncing between teams as a journeyman back. Meanwhile, Jackson blossomed into a multiple-time NFL MVP and one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league.
Brady would play two more seasons in New England before departing for Tampa Bay, leaving the Patriots to struggle in his absence. Belichick remained with the team until the end of the 2023 season. After sitting out 2024, he accepted a position as head coach at the University of North Carolina.
“The Art of Winning” is slated for release in bookstores and online retailers on May 6.
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