Bill Belichick refuses questions in emotional Patriots farewell message

11 January 2024 , 18:04

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Bill Belichick gave an emotional statement confirming his departure (Image: New England Patriots)

Bill Belichick, the former head coach of the New England Patriots, was emotional as he addressed the media following his departure from the team after 24 seasons. He refused to answer questions and instead read a prepared statement: "Robert (Kraft) and I after a series of discussions have mutually agreed to part ways," he began.

"Firstly to Robert, so much thanks for the opportunity to be head coach here for 24 years, amazing opportunity and tremendous support. We had a vision of building a championship football team here, and that succeeded my wildest dreams and expectations.

"The amount of success that we were able to achieve together through a lot of hard work, contributions, and so many people. Very proud of that and I'll always have those great memories that I'll carry for the rest of my life.

"Thanks to the assistant coaches, so many great coaches that have made my job much easier... it was a great team effort and everybody put everything they had into it, that's why we were successful.

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"Amazing staff here that supported me in every way... and of course a great deal of thanks and appreciation to the players. Players win games in the NFL and I've been very fortunate to coach some of the greatest players that have ever played, many already in the Hall of Fame."

Belichick expressed heartfelt respect for his team, stating: "Regardless of how long players were or weren't here, I respect the way the players come to work here on a daily basis, all of them and I've coached well over 1,000... I have so much respect for all the players, too many to name at this time."

Belichick also showed gratitude towards the fans, his voice seemingly shaking, he shared: "Finally to the fans, fans here are amazing. So many memories, the send-offs, parades, Sundays, whatever the situations are," and "Letters of support, seeing them away from here at the grocery store or gas station."

Bill Belichick refuses questions in emotional Patriots farewell message

Bill Belichick got emotional when thanking everyone at the Patriots (No credit)

The legendary coach acknowledged fan loyalty far beyond local borders, saying, "Not just in New England, they extend internationally, it's amazing how far it reaches. So grateful to the fans for the support they've given to me, my family, for this football team. So many fond memories and thoughts. I'll always be a Patriot, I'll come back here, but at this time I'll move on and I'm excited for the future."

Renowned as the greatest head coach ever, Belichick's accomplishments surpass any other in NFL history. This 71-year-old is the proud owner of six Super Bowl rings after leading the Patriots to nine championship games. No other head coach can claim more Super Bowl victories, appearances, division titles or playoff wins than Belichick, marking his departure as a significant end of an era.

GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to win Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Super Bowl victories that New England Patriots enjoyed were all under the leadership of Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. However, since Brady's departure to Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, it's been a challenging time for Belichick.

After two decades of success with the Patriots, Brady was the first to leave, and now Belichick has also decided to part ways with the team. This decision came after amicable discussions with owner Robert Kraft, and it was agreed that this would be best for everyone involved.

However, this doesn't mean Belichick is finished as an NFL head coach. In fact, a quarter of the teams in the league are currently looking to recruit him. The 71-year-old has been coaching in the NFL since 1975, starting as a special assistant at the then Baltimore Colts before they moved to Indianapolis.

Belichick has also spent time with the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, and the New York Jets, before settling down long-term with the Patriots.