Ryan Clark recently made some revealing comments about his television co-star, legendary coach Bill Belichick, offering insights into Belichick’s habits behind the scenes of Inside The NFL. The show, which airs weekly on The CW, has been Belichick’s first venture into the media world following his departure from the New England Patriots.
Clark, a former NFL player, appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers this week, where he was asked about his experience working with the former Patriots coach.
During the interview, Seth Meyers expressed his surprise at Belichick’s ability to adapt to television. “Bill Belichick I would not have thought would be good on television,” Meyers admitted. Clark responded with a laugh, saying, “That’s a fair assessment.” Meyers then added, “I am shocked to say he’s really good on television.”
While Belichick has impressed viewers with his on-air persona, Clark lifted the lid on some of the coach’s off-camera habits, particularly his timekeeping—or lack thereof. “He’s late all the time,” Clark revealed, a comment that left Meyers visibly stunned. “I would have guessed he would be the first guy there, and the most prompt guy in the building. Very tardy,” Meyers said.
Clark went on to elaborate, providing a different perspective on Belichick’s punctuality. “He’s late every week, Seth,” Clark emphasized. “And the funny thing is, he’s late for everything. Some people are late for the pre-show meeting but make sure they’re there when the show’s supposed to start. But Bill—his segment is first every time. We’re all ready, we’re all miked up, and 15 minutes later, he walks in.”
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Clark also drew a comparison to Belichick’s infamous reputation for discipline during his coaching career, where lateness was met with fines. “You talk to his former players, all he did was take their money every time they were late,” Clark noted. “The first day he walked in late, I thought it was this cool ‘I’m the greatest coach of all time, you can’t tell me anything’ sort of walk-in-late.”
Despite his tardiness, Clark acknowledged that Belichick has brought his no-nonsense personality to Inside The NFL, which makes for some entertaining moments behind the scenes.
Clark shared a story that he admitted Belichick would probably “hate” for him to share on television. “If he says the stuff on TV that he says in meetings, you’d love him even more,” Clark said. “He hates everything. A guy will make a great play, and me, Chad Johnson, and Chris Long are all like ‘Oh my God, look at this play.'”
However, Belichick’s reaction is usually less enthusiastic. “But coach will be like, ‘Yeah, I mean, he caught a ball, Ryan.’ And I’ll be like, ‘Coach, it was an amazing catch.’ And he’ll say, ‘Yeah, but he’s not better than Lawrence Taylor.'”
Clark’s anecdotes provided a fascinating glimpse into what it’s like to work alongside Belichick in a completely different environment from the football field.
His comments highlighted the contrasts between Belichick’s serious, no-frills attitude and the more relaxed atmosphere of a television show.
While Belichick may be adapting to a new role in media, it seems his approach and standards haven’t changed—he’s still holding everyone to the high expectations that made him one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.
For viewers, these behind-the-scenes revelations add another layer to the enigmatic personality of Bill Belichick, a coach known for his stoicism and intense focus.
Clark’s stories reveal that, even in retirement, Belichick remains a force to be reckoned with, albeit with a few quirks that are surprising to those who are used to his legendary discipline.
Whether it’s being fashionably late or delivering blunt assessments of highlight-reel plays, Belichick continues to be one of the most compelling figures in the world of sports.
