ATLANTA — New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will set yet another NFL record during the halftime show at Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, becoming the first coach to watch pop band Maroon 5 perform nine times, sources confirm.
“Belichick has a long record of achievement going back to his position as a defensive coordinator for the Giants, and his success with the Patriots has been unprecedented,” said Boston Herald sports writer Eric Gallagher. “But he’ll be most remembered for his work off the field, as the single biggest Maroon 5 fan in NFL history.”
Belichick played down the historic achievement in characteristic fashion, instead stressing the intense work ethic and obsessive day-to-day preparation required for an NFL coach to see his favorite band so many times over the past three decades.
“I don’t think about the record books. That stuff is just a distraction on a day like today, when I need to focus on what’s important: the beauty of Adam Levine’s artistry,” said Belichick during a press conference leading up to Super Bowl LIII, when he will try for a sixth NFL championship as a head coach. “I’m going into this halftime show like it’s my first time. I don’t take anything for granted, that’s for damn sure.”
The milestone has not come without its share of sacrifices for the veteran coach, however, as confirmed by longtime Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
“There have been difficult moments, of course,” said Brady during the same press conference. “It’s tough when it’s the middle of the season and you’re preparing for an important game, and your coach takes a last-minute flight to Cleveland for a Maroon 5 show. But you know, that’s the thing: you have to make sacrifices. It’s a team effort.”
At press time, Belichick was last seen wandering the halls of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, asking if anyone knew where to find the band’s green room.