Before Bill Belichick, the Patriots were, well, a bit of a mess. You had guys like Ron Erhardt and Ray “Sugar Bear” Perkins. They were fine, but they weren't miracles.
Then came Raymond Berry. He actually took the team to a Super Bowl in 1985! Remember the 46-10 loss to the Bears? Yeah, we try to forget the score, but we celebrate the effort.
After Berry, the coaching carousel got dizzy. Dick MacPherson was a lovable guy who led the team with a smile. The results? Not so smile-inducing. He went 8-24. Yikes.
The Parcells Era: A Big, Loud Cup of Coffee
Then Bill Parcells walked in. He was like a linebacker in a suit. He called himself “The Big Tuna,” and he acted like it.
He turned the team around with a 90s grunge attitude. He drafted Drew Bledsoe and took the team to Super Bowl XXXI. They lost to the Packers, but the Patriots were finally cool again.
But Parcells and the owner, Robert Kraft, clashed like oil and water. Parcells left in a huff. The next coach? Pete Carroll. He was young and energetic. The team loved him, but it was a short romance. Three years, no Super Bowls. Goodbye, Pete.
