What is the secret of Bill Belichick’s success in New England? His big green balls.
An urban legend within the Patriots organization is that the 69-year-old coach rewards his hardest-working coaches with cash, according to the book Better to Fear: New England National Dynasty and the Quest for Greatness by Seth Wickersham, which covers the team’s dynasty in the 21st century.
The fillers among the employees are known as “green balls”, According to InsiderIt can be worth thousands of dollars.
Belichick doesn’t stop there. Wickersham wrote that once the team reached the playoffs, the coach would often write a “personal check to outperforming employees – sometimes up to six figures” from his personal bank account.
Belichick clearly knows that criticism is king when it comes to employee motivation. However, the book also noted that the work culture of Belichick’s era is often described as “quiet and lifeless”.
.
