Jan 4, 2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reacts after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: AFC Wild Card-Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots
BOSTON (AP) – New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said on Monday night that he will not receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In a statement, Belichick said “remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award.”
The six-time Super Bowl winning coach did not say explicitly that he had turned down the offer from President Donald Trump. But he said “the decision has been made not to move forward with the award.”
Patriots’ HC Bill Belichick will not be traveling to Washington nor accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he announced today. pic.twitter.com/uvLLigFlHU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2021
Although he describes himself as apolitical, Belichick wrote Trump a letter of support during the 2016 presidential campaign that the candidate read aloud at a rally in the days before the election.
