A Massachusetts high school football program gains Super Bowl expertise with the appointment of Ernie Adams as interim head coach at Phillips Andover Academy.
Prestigious Alma Mater Hires NFL Veteran
Phillips Andover Academy, the elite boarding school that educated Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, has selected Ernie Adams, a longtime NFL assistant and executive, to lead its football team on an interim basis. Adams, 72, attended the academy in the late 1960s and early 1970s. There, he discovered Football Scouting Methods by Steve Belichick, which sparked a connection when Bill Belichick arrived for a post-graduate year in 1970. The two forged a lifelong friendship.
“This is definitely an interim appointment,” Adams stated. “The school plans a comprehensive search for a younger, full-time coach after the season, so I step in for this year.”
Belichick’s Support and Fan Backing
Bill Belichick, now in his second season as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels and a fellow alumnus, has offered congratulations. “Of course he’s an alumnus too, so I know he wishes us well, just like I cheer for North Carolina,” Adams noted.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, a Massachusetts native and avid New England Patriots supporter, voiced enthusiasm on X: “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 ‘pink stripes’ reference nods to an inside joke from the Patriots’ practice facility.
Career Highlights and Team Transition
Adams replaces Trey Brown, class of 2012, who recorded a 2-7 mark in NEPSAC Class A last fall, capped by a 48-16 defeat to rival Phillips Exeter. Adams earned fame as Bill Belichick’s lead researcher with the Patriots from 2000 to 2021, securing six Super Bowl rings. Sportswriter David Halberstam dubbed him “Belichick’s Belichick” for his analytical prowess, though his exact role often puzzled players.
Their paths converged early: Both entered the NFL in 1975, with Belichick assisting the Baltimore Colts and Adams serving as administrative assistant for the Patriots. Reunions followed at the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns from 1991 to 1995. Browns owner Art Modell once quipped, “I’ll pay anyone here $10,000 if they can tell me what Ernie Adams does.” Adams returned to football in Foxborough in 2000, taking a four-year break before this role.
“Listen, it’s great,” Adams said of rejoining the sideline. “I’ve worked there the last couple years, so I know all the players. Standing in front of them Monday afternoon for introductions, these are a great bunch of kids and it was a lot of fun.” He added, “Hopefully the offense we run moves the ball and scores points.”
Athletic Director’s Endorsement and School Legacy
Athletic director Lisa Joel praised the hire: “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 boasts a storied history but modest football success, with its last winning season in 2017 and a perfect 9-0 mark in 2013. Notable alumni include NFL long snapper Zak DeOssie, John F. Kennedy Jr., author Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., actors Jack Lemmon and Olivia Wilde, journalist Buzz Bissinger, and Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck.
