Donald Trump is set to give a big award to Bill Belichick. According to multiple reports, Trump will award the New England Patriots coach the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday. This comes after Trump awarded Hall of Fame golfers Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player, along with late Olympian Babe Didrikson, the Presidential Medal of Freedom last week.
This also comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is looking to force Trump from office before his term comes to an end on Jan. 20. Last Wednesday, Trump supporters swarmed the U.S. Capitol while Congress was in the process of confirming the electoral college vote of Joe Biden as the next President. Congress was able to confirm Biden’s win as president after the attacks.
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Belichick has a strong connection with Trump. In 2016, just days before Trump was elected president, Belichick sent a letter to him. “Congratulations on a tremendous campaign,” Trump read to the crowd at a campaign rally in New Hampshire, as reported by ESPN. “You have dealt with an unbelievable slanted and negative media and have come out beautifully. You’ve proved to be the ultimate competitor and fighter. Your leadership is amazing. I have always had tremendous respect for you, but the toughness and perseverance you have displayed over the past year is remarkable.”
Belichick then explained to reporters why he wrote the letter. “I’ve received a number of inquiries relative to a note that I wrote to Donald on Monday,” Belichick said. “Our friendship goes back many years and I think anybody that’s spent more than five minutes with me knows I’m not a political person. The comments are not politically motivated. I have a friendship and loyalty to Donald.”
If it was up to Trump, Belichick would get more than the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In August, Trump talked about how the 68-year-old coach would make a good general. “If I ever had a military battle, I’d call Belichick up and say, ‘What do you think, what do you think? Give me a couple of ideas,’” Trump said. “He’d be as good as any general out there.”
Belichick did not have a 2020 season to remember, as his team finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. However, Belichick has put together a Hall of Fame career, winning eight Super Bowls (six as a head coach and two as an assistant) and being selected to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
