New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is the latest ally to step aside from Donald Trump after the attack on the U.S. Capitol last week by supporters of the president.
In a statement obtained by ESPN on Monday night, Belichick refused to receive Trump’s Presidential Medal of Freedom. The legendary coach highlighted “the tragic events of last week” for his decision, apparently referring to the insurrection acts of Trump supporters.
Belichick won six Super Bowls with the Patriots after taking over as coach in 2000. He is the most active coach in the NFL and the third on the list of all time.
Belichick publicly supported Trump when he ran for office. He was appointed to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition in 2018. The team visited Trump at the White House after winning the Super Bowl in 2017. But when he won again in 2019, the Patriots did not visit Trump due to “conflicts over programming. “
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The New England coach also cited “conversations about social justice, equality and human rights” that took place last year for his decision. “Continuing these efforts while remaining loyal to the people, the team and the county I love outweighs the benefits of any individual award,” he said.
Trump has openly criticized athletes’ social justice statements since Colin Kaepernick knelt down. He criticized the NBA for its support for the protests after George Floyd’s death and has an ongoing war of words with LeBron James. Before this season’s NFL debut, between Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans, Trump attacked again.
Below is Belichick’s full statement.
Recently, I received the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which flattered me out of respect for what honor represents and admiration for previous winners. Subsequently, the tragic events of the past week occurred and it was decided not to proceed with the sentence.
Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s values, freedom and democracy. I know that I also represent my family and the New England Patriots team. One of the most rewarding things about my professional career happened in 2020, when, through the great leadership of our team, conversations about social justice, equality and human rights gained prominence and became actions. Continuing these efforts while remaining loyal to the people, staff and county I love outweighs the benefits of any individual award.
Patriots HC Bill Belichick will not travel to Washington or accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he announced today. pic.twitter.com/uvLLigFlHU
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2021
Although the White House website says the award goes to “entrepreneurs and agitators in a variety of fields, including public service, medicine, journalism, entertainment and business,” most of whom Trump awarded the Freedom Medal to be stars of the sport. Tiger Woods, Jerry West, Lou Holtz, Roger Penske, Mariano Rivera and Roger Staubach are just a few of them. There were a handful of political figures like Ed Meese and Orrin Hatch. Among the few entertainment personalities to whom Trump has honored is Elvis Presley (posthumously)