Former New England Patriots general manager Bill Belichick inspired his children to follow in his footsteps. His adult kids work in sports, and Bill has opened up about that in the past. While speaking during a 2017 Patriots press conference, he pointed out, “What I have always said to my kids or really any young people that have asked me that question is you have to follow your heart, do what your passion is. Don’t just take a job because it pays a little more money, just do what you want to do. Live out your dreams and try to achieve them.”
“They are in what they do because that is what they want to do, it is not my decision,” Bill elaborated, since all of his children got involved in coaching teams. “I don’t try to guide them into it, I don’t try to guide them out of it. I try to help them the best I can like any father would try to do for his children.”
Learn more about Bill’s kids and how they’ve made their own careers in the sports world.
How Many Kids Does Bill Belichick Have?
Bill is a father to three adult children: sons Steve and Brian and daughter Amanda.
Stephen ‘Steve’ Belichick
Steve is Bill’s eldest son. As of 2024, Steve is 37 years old. He played lacrosse at Rutgers University from 2008 to 2011, then played football at the school. In 2012, Steve joined his dad, Bill, on the coaching staff. For three years, he worked as a defensive assistant, followed by a safeties coach and an outside linebackers’ coach.
Per PEOPLE, Steve told the press that his dad was his “role model” and “idol.”
“I want to be just like him. I have since I knew what an idol was,” Steve said about Bill. “It’s rewarding for me to, I guess, see him more and learn from him more, because I’ve been away from him in high school and college on a day-to-day basis.”
Brian Belichick
Like his older brother, Brian played lacrosse during his undergraduate years, attending Trinity College. In 2016, Brian joined his dad, Bill, on the coaching staff. He worked as a coaching assistant until 2019, then as a safeties coach.
Brian and his brother, Steve, worked alongside each other as part of the Patriots’ staff.
Amanda Belichick
Like her brothers, Amanda played lacrosse but didn’t get into football. After attending Wesleyan University, she joined the College of the Holy Cross as their women’s lacrosse team’s head coach.
While speaking about her father’s football career with Sports Illustrated in 2017, Amanda pointed out that her “intention was never to follow in his footsteps.”
“And yet, somehow I kind of have,” Amanda added, referring to her coaching career for a different sport.
Is Bill Belichick Married?
Bill is not currently married, but he was to ex-wife Debby Clarke Belichick from 1977 to 2006. Bill and Debby share Amanda, Steve and Brian together.
Following his divorce from Debby, Bill started dating his ex Linda Holliday. They were together for nearly 20 years until he went public with his current girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, in 2024.