In November of 2000, a struggling Patriots team lost to the Cleveland Browns 19-11. The game marked head coach Bill Belichick’s first trip back to Ohio against the team he once coached.
The winning quarterback for Cleveland that day? A 32 year-old career backup named Doug Pederson, the man who will be across the sideline coaching against Belichick in Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“It’s definitely one of the milestones, obviously, of my career as a quarterback,” Pederson said, reminiscing about the game at a Super Bowl LII press conference this week.
Belichick didn’t have as much to say about that game in particular.
“That was quite a while ago,” said the 5-time Super Bowl winning coach when asked about it at his own press conference. “I think the bottom line really is more the matchups on these two teams. Coach Pederson’s done a great job.”
Pederson says beating the Pats was one of the high points of his playing career.
“We battled and we hung in there and beat them in Cleveland…It was great for Cleveland and for myself.”
It wasn’t the first time Pederson crossed paths with New England and Belichick. He was Brett Favre’s backup in Green Bay the year the Packers beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. Belichick was coach Bill Parcells’ defensive backs coach.
Pederson has reportedly asked his old teammate to deliver a pep talk to the Eagles Saturday morning at the team’s hotel. Both Pederson and Favre can claim wins over New England, but the Pats are hoping to have the last laugh on Sunday. That’s all their head coach is focusing on.
“[We’re] honored to be a part of this great game and look forward to being at our best this Sunday afternoon against the Eagles,” Belichick said.
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