ABSTRACT
In 2002, the New England Patriots of the NFL upset the heavily favored St. Louis Rams to win their first Super Bowl. The usual celebratory scenes followed: confetti fell to the ground, some players sunk to their knees and cried, first-year starting quarterback Tom Brady excitedly slapped the shoulders of the team’s former starter Drew Bledsoe, and hugs flowed. Even coach Bill Belichick, known for his stoicism, embraced family members and players. Belichick described the unexpected achievement as “miraculous.” His description was less of a commentary on the game, which the Patriots largely controlled, than on the fact that the organization he was building was far ahead of schedule. His goal that season was not to win his first Super Bowl; his goal was to assemble a team that could compete to win Super Bowls season after season. In his view, this Patriots team had not reached that level yet. When Belichick was asked how many players would have to be replaced to be that good, he replied “About twenty.” 1 He underestimated the number of changes he would make. Two seasons later the Pats won their second Super Bowl after replacing 34 players who were on the 2001 roster.
