Two teams (especially the head coaches) have immense pressure on them heading into the new NFL season: the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions.

The Texans have been a solid playoff team in recent years, but their head coach, Bill O’Brien, has taken some heat for the questionable moves he’s made, including trading away star wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins. He’s also coming off a tough playoff loss to the Chiefs where they blew a 24-0 lead in the Divisional round.

Detroit Lions coach, Matt Patricia, has a lot to prove after his team only won three games last year. He was hired for his defensive expertise, but they were dead last in passing defense and 21st in rushing defense.

Besides their mutual pressure this season, Patricia and O’Brien were both former assistant coaches under Bill Belichick. What’s interesting is how they’ve joined a list of his previous assistant coaches who have struggled when given the opportunity to become a head coach for another team.

The jury is still out on former assistants Brian Flores (heading into his second season with the Dolphins after a 5-11 season) and Joe Judge (taking over as the head coach of the Giants).

I heard Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd ask this question on his show: “Will Bill Belichick ever produce a successful disciple?” It’s a fair question when you consider some of the records of his former assistants who became NFL head coaches:

• Matt Patricia (9-22)
• Bill O’Brien (52-44 and 2-4 in the playoffs)
• Romeo Crennel (28-55)
• Eric Mangini (33-47)
• Josh McDaniels (11-17)
• Nick Saban (15-17)
• Jim Schwartz (29-51)
• Brian Flores (5-11)

While focusing on Super Bowls, Belichick must not take the time to pour into his assistants or give them the proper attention to help them develop into a head coach.

He probably doesn’t have the patience or doesn’t care enough to grow his coaching tree since he’s more concerned with winning the next game.

The reality is, at the end of Belichick’s career, his legacy will be based on his success as a head coach – not as much on how disappointing his former assistants were as head coaches.

However, as followers of Jesus, it’s the opposite for us. We are commanded to develop disciples of Jesus and we should ask ourselves the question, “Will I ever produce a successful disciple?”

Our legacy isn’t about “Super Bowls,” but rather the impact we have on others. Are we pouring into their lives and giving them the proper attention, care, and patience required for them to grow as disciples?

Jesus commanded the original disciples to make disciples and each of us can be considered a part of their “coaching tree.” It’s up to us to keep this going and take seriously what Jesus says regarding the Great Commission:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20 – AMP).

Jesus is the One who transforms our hearts and draws people to Himself, but He invites us to go and show others what it means to know Him and follow Him.

We play a key role in developing disciples who then make disciples. What an honor it is to be used by God to produce a fruitful “coaching tree” filled with successful disciples.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK this!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me become more outward focused and take more seriously the command to make disciples. I pray You give me the passion and ability to step out in faith so that I can help others know You and follow You. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.