Biography
Bret Bielema is a talented American football coach and former defensive end for the University of Iowa.
He grew up with his two sisters, Brandi and Betsy Bielema; and became a promising athletic talent during his time at the University.
Bret Bielema was the captain of his college football team, playing defensive lineman from 1998 to 1992.
He was named head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers in 2006, finishing his first regular season with an 11–1 record (7–1 in Big Ten Conference play).
Bret Bielema also had the opportunity to coach the Arkansas Razorbacks, New England Patriots and New York Giants in various positions before being hired by the University of Illinois.
American football coach
Bret Bielema |
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 Bret Bielema: History, Biography, Photos |
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| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| Full name: | Bret Arnold Bielema |
| Stage name: | Bret Bielema |
| Born: | January 13, 1970 (age 54) |
| Place of birth: | Prophet Town, Illinois |
| Nationality: | American |
| Training profile: | Arkansas Razorbacks football, Wisconsin Badgers football |
| Parents: | Arnie Bielema and Marilyn Bielema |
| Height: | 1.88 minutes |
| The children: | Briella Nichole Bielema, Brexli Nichole Bielema |
| Siblings: | Betsy Bielema, Brandi Bielema |
| Girlfriend • Spouse: | Jennifer Hielsberg (married 2012) |
| Job: | Soccer Player • Coach |
| Net worth: | $8,000,000 |
Early life
American football star; Bret Arnold Bielema, was born in Prophetstown, Illinois on January 13, 1970.
His father; Arnie Bielema, worked in his neighborhood and was known to help locals by lifting heavy objects because of his physique. Bielema’s mother; Marilyn Bielema, was very private and found deep meaning in sports.
The 51-year-old is of Caucasian ethnicity and grew up with his two sisters Brandi and Betsy Bielema.
Unlike many of his childhood friends, Bielema grew up with a strong passion for American football.
He became an active member of the club early in his school life; this gave him the opportunity to develop his moves at a very early age.
Education
Bret Bielema received high marks for his extracurricular achievements in school. He completed his basic education four decades ago before graduating from high school with excellent grades.
However, during his time at the University of Iowa, this sports enthusiast got the chance to live his dream.
From 1998 to 1992, Bret Bielema played college football, playing as a defensive lineman for four consecutive years; and captaining the team in his final season. His coach; Hayden Fry, helped him put in a good word for himself among the sport’s top figures, which gave Bielema a chance to receive good drafts in the following years.
However, Bret Bielema’s time in college was marred by controversial comments he made to Iowa State head coach Jim Walden after they lost 21-7 to Iowa in his senior season. This led to Bielema being reprimanded by University of Iowa officials.
He graduated from the school a few years later with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing; but then switched to the Indoor Football League; where he played for the Milwaukee Mustangs.
Career
Bret Bielema was named head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, finishing his first regular season with an 11–1 record (7–1 in Big Ten Conference play). On September 16, 2006, his team won 14–0 against San Diego State; making him the third Badgers coach to win his first three games.
Before the end of 2006, he led the team to a stunning victory over Purdue and tied the record for most wins by a first-year coach at UW with seven. He picked up his ninth win by defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions 13–3 and set another record on November 11 by defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 24–21.
In doing so, Bret Bielema became the first head coach in Big Ten history to win ten games in his first season. He also won eleven straight regular season games with a 35–3 victory over the University at Buffalo on November 18, 2006.
Bret Bielema’s strong start to coaching has seen him become only the third coach in NCAA history to win 12 games in his rookie season. He led Wisconsin to 17 wins in his first 18 games; earning him a high profile in the community.
In 2010, Bret Bielema claimed his best performance. His Badgers defeated top-ranked Ohio State 31–18 in Madison. It was the Badgers’ first win over a top-ranked team in the league since 1981. However, he finished 1–5 against Ohio State. With so many records to his name, many believe that Bret Bielema’s legacy is still tarnished by back-to-back Rose Bowl losses. He remains the only coach in Wisconsin history to endure this kind of heartbreak.
After six years in charge, Bret Bielema left Wisconsin to take a job with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Reports suggest the 51-year-old was unhappy with questions about the pay of his assistant coaches. Bielema was the highest-paid state employee in Arkansas with a reported salary of $4.2 million after his appointment.
On November 24, 2017, Bret Bielema was fired after five seasons as head coach of Arkansas following a 48–45 loss to the Missouri Tigers. Despite his team leading twice by 14, the Razorbacks lost both leads. His departure came under strange circumstances; with Bielema speaking to reporters after the game about how he was fired. He claimed that he was fired in a very unprofessional manner.
Bret Bielema NFL Experience
Bret Bielema was appointed as a defensive consultant to Bill Belichick; the head coach of the New England Patriots at the time. Before the start of the 2018 NFL season. A year later, Bielema moved up the ranks to become the defensive line coach for the 2019 season.
On January 21, 2020, the New York Giants named Bret Bielema as the team’s linebackers coach and senior assistant. His tenure with the Giants did not last long, as the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign announced the hiring of Bret Bielema in December 2020. He replaced Lovie Smith.
Personal life
Bret Bielema became engaged to Jennifer Hielsberg on April 1, 2011. After four years of courtship, they took their marriage vows in a private ceremony held at a Catholic Church on March 10, 2012.
His wife, Jennifer Hielsberg, modeled for several modeling agencies before getting married. She also studied finance before settling into business life.
In 2020, Bret Bielema and Jennifer Hielsberg celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary, with the sports star taking to social media to announce the union. They also have two daughters; Briella Nichole Bielema (born July 8, 2017) and Brexli Nichole Bielema (born March 18, 2019).
Net worth
Thanks to his experience and popularity in American football, Bret Bielema’s finances are on the rise.
Bret Bielema’s net worth from the sport is among the highest; the sports personality’s estimated net worth is $8,000,000.
Social media
- Instagram- None
- Twitter- @BretBielema
- Facebook- Bret Bielema
- TikTok- None
- Snapchat- None
- Phone Number – Private
