Bill Belichick and Nick Saban are the most successful coaches in the NFL and college football, respectively. While Belichick won six Super Bowls as the New England Patriots’ head coach and two more as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator, Saban earned himself six national titles between stints at LSU and Alabama. Along the way, the two men shared a friendship that goes back all the way to 1982.
Now, a new documentary produced by HBO and NFL Films will chronicle the long-standing relationship the two coaches share with each other: Belichick & Saban: The Art of Coaching will premiere Tuesday, December 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO — needless to say that the feature-length documentary will be must-see television not just for Patriots and Crimson Tide fans, but for all followers of football in general.
“Bill Belichick and Nick Saban have earned their rightful place in the pantheon of greatest coaches ever, across all sports, and this film intimately spotlights their woven history from Navy to Cleveland to now,” said Peter Nelson of HBO Sports about the decoumentary. “It will capture for the first-time ever some of the most engaging and personal conversations held every year by the two most towering figures in the game today.”
“Bill Belichick and Nick Saban have become the modern versions of Vince Lombardi and John Wooden — symbols of success not just in sports, but in life,” added Ross Ketover, who works as the chief executive of NFL Films and who served as executive producer on the project. “Their lessons on leadership are an inspiration; not just for those of us who love football, but for anyone who wants to thrive at whatever passion they pursue.”
While the documentary focuses on Belichick and Saban it also features interviews with some of their peers, assistant coaches and family members. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is among those talking about the two veteran coaches, who worked alongside each other with the Cleveland Browns between 1991 and 1994.