Forbes Ranks Patriots Belichick Top Paid Coach In Sports
BOSTON (CBS) - With LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson retiring, Forbes Magazine now ranks the Patriots Bill Belichick as the highest paid coach in sports.
"In 11 seasons on the New England Patriots' sideline, Bill Belichick has won 72% of his games, made eight postseason appearances and taken three Super Bowl titles," Forbes' Tom Van Riper writes.
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"Little surprise, then, that Belichick now takes home more money than any coach in the four major North American sports leagues--some $7.5 million a year, we estimate," he continued. "The Patriots have never publicly confirmed Belichick's contract details, but industry pundits have little doubt that the long-term extension he signed in 2007 is north of the roughly $7 million annually that Mike Holmgren was getting from the Seattle Seahawks."
Forbes also notes that with Jackson's retirement, Doc Rivers and his new contract extension now takes over the top spot in the NBA. Rivers signed a five-year, $35-million with the Boston Celtics last week, leapfrogging him over the Spurs Gregg Popovich and Knicks Mike D'Antoni.
