Phillips Andover Academy, the prestigious Massachusetts boarding school with alumni including two U.S. presidents, has turned to a familiar face with championship pedigree to lead its struggling football program. The school has named longtime NFL assistant coach and executive Ernie Adams as its interim head football coach, bringing Super Bowl experience to the high school sidelines.
A Return to Alma Mater
Adams, 72, attended Phillips Andover in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where his football journey began in an unexpected way. While at the school, he read Football Scouting Methods by former Detroit Lions fullback Steve Belichick. By coincidence, Belichick's son Bill enrolled at Phillips Andover for a post-graduate year in 1970. After Adams recognized the name, the pair struck up a friendship that would span decades and shape professional football history.
'This is definitely an interim appointment,' Adams told the Boston Globe about his first head-coaching position. 'The school is going to do a comprehensive search for a younger, full-time football coach after the season, so I am here for this year.'
Belichick Connection and NFL Legacy
Adams is best known for his 21-year tenure as Bill Belichick's lead researcher with the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2021, during which the team won six Super Bowl championships. His role was so enigmatic that legendary sportswriter David Halberstam famously referred to Adams as 'Belichick's Belichick.' Players regularly joked about not understanding his exact responsibilities with the team.
The coaching partnership between Adams and Belichick extends back to their early NFL days. Both entered the league in 1975, with Belichick joining the Baltimore Colts as an assistant and Adams taking a position as a Patriots administrative assistant. They reunited with the New York Giants before Belichick brought Adams to Cleveland in 1991 for a challenging five-year stint with the Browns.
It was during this Cleveland period that then-Browns owner Art Modell made his famous remark: 'I'll pay anyone here $10,000 if they can tell me what Ernie Adams does.'
Taking Over a Struggling Program
Adams replaces Trey Brown, who posted a 2-7 record in New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class A competition last fall. The season concluded with a disappointing 48-16 loss to rival Phillips Exeter Academy. The Big Blue football program has struggled in recent years, with their last winning season occurring in 2017 and their most recent undefeated campaign dating back to 2013.
'Listen, it's great,' Adams told the Globe about his new role. '[Been] working there the last couple years, so I know all the players. But just standing in front of them [Monday] afternoon when I was introduced to them, these are a great bunch of kids and it was a lot of fun.'
Support from Notable Figures
Adams has already received congratulations from his longtime friend Bill Belichick, who is entering his second season as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels. 'Of course [Belichick is] an alumnus too, so I know he wishes us well, just like I cheer for [North] Carolina,' Adams told the Globe.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, a notable Patriots fan and Massachusetts native, expressed enthusiastic support on social media: 'Can I bet my net worth on Phillips Andover to win the NEPSAC next year. Old Pink Stripes is gonna have the boys flying...' The reference to 'pink stripes' remains an inside joke from the Patriots practice facility that has never been fully explained publicly.
Institutional Support and Historical Context
Phillips Andover athletic director Lisa Joel released an official statement regarding the hiring: 'The Phillips Andover experience was formative for [Adams]. He's all in. He loves the school, he loves the game of football, and he understands what it means to be an Andover student. He's a team guy. And he's incredibly humble and understated.'
Founded in 1778, Phillips Andover Academy stands as one of the world's most prestigious educational institutions. While not traditionally known as a football powerhouse, the school has produced an impressive array of notable alumni across various fields:
- Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush
- John F. Kennedy Jr.
- Writer Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
- Actors Jack Lemmon and Olivia Wilde
- Journalist Buzz Bissinger
- Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck
In football terms, the school has produced only a handful of professional players, most notably Zak DeOssie, who played at Phillips Andover before his college career at Brown and 13 seasons as the New York Giants' long snapper.
Looking Ahead
When asked about his strategic plans for the team, Adams maintained his characteristic discretion. 'Hopefully the offense we run is one that moves the ball and scores points,' he said with typical understatement.
The appointment marks Adams' return to football after a four-season hiatus following his departure from the Patriots. His interim role represents both a homecoming to his alma mater and an opportunity to impart championship wisdom to a new generation of student-athletes at one of America's most historic educational institutions.
