Bill Belichick is known for his meticulous approach to all facets of the NFL game. His attention to detail is not limited to football—it even extends to the kitchen. Belichick once appeared on a TV show during his Cleveland Browns days, where he showed how he makes his PB&J sandwiches. And Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski had a good time looking back on it.
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Belichick takes his sandwich preparation seriously and calls them a BBPB&J, which stands for “Bill Belichick’s peanut butter and jelly.” He likes to use raisin bread because he has been eating it since his mother made it for him. Then Belichick likes to spread chunky peanut butter on not just one, but both sides of the bread. This part is essential, as it creates a rigid structure for the jelly not to leak out of. Lastly, he likes to cut them into little shapes like stars, bars, etc.
When Edelman and Gronkowski got hold of the video, they first thought it was a bit silly. However, they came to appreciate how their former coach treated his PB&J like a foolproof strategy he set up for Sundays.
“Oh yeah, this is kind of dorky,” Gronkowski said while laughing. But then, his tune changed after watching the clip for a bit. “I just want to say, this is why Coach Belichick is one of the greatest coaches of all time, because he pays attention to details. I mean, this guy’s talking about making a peanut butter and jelly, and he’s just laying down all of the facts and all of the little tiny details why it’s going to be so great.”
Edelman thought the sandwich looked kind of like Belichick’s teams. “They may not be sexy, they may not look good. But the jelly is not going to leak through. Not with a two-sided peanut butter, Bill,” he added.
Additionally, the video is one that Julian remembers watching when he was a young player. When Edelman was a rookie, he was intimidated by Belichick, and he needed to see something where the coach didn’t look so menacing.
“I wanted to find anything, and I found that video, like first or second year in the league. I was like, ‘Oh my god, who is this guy?’”
It must have been a nostalgic video for Edelman to rewatch. And it seems like it helped him relate more to Belichick and feel comfortable around him at the time. Edelman went on to win three Super Bowls with his coach, and he played a key role in two of them. The same can be said for Gronkowski.
It’s always fun to find old videos like this. Some people, like Gronk, probably have never seen it. But it’s a great glimpse into who Belichick is when he’s not coaching and how much attention to detail he pays when he’s making his favorite sandwich. Just remember that the next time you make a double-sided peanut butter sandwich: let’s stay disciplined and keep the jelly from leaking through.
