Bill Belichick wrapped up his time with the New England Patriots in a way only he could, taking no questions and opening his statement with a rare joke.
The legendary head coach’s opening to his press conference went viral after he referenced the immense media presence when the franchise signed Tim Tebow.
Bill Belichick Starts Farewell Presser With Laughs
Belichick began his farewell press conference, after 24 years coaching the Patriots, with a joke about not having seen as many cameras at New England’s facility since the team signed Tebow back in June of 2013.
New England signed Tebow to what was reportedly a two-year contract with no guaranteed money at the time and proceeded to release him ahead of the 53-man roster deadline in August of that year.
Still, the signing caused quite a stir at the time and led to Belichick fielding plenty of questions about Tebow from a variety of media outlets.
The longtime Patriots head coach called back to that moment when addressing a packed media room with his parting statement.
“Alright, morning. I haven’t seen this many cameras since we signed Tebow,” Belichick said to open his presser.
His joke to begin the short press conference where he and owner Robert Kraft gave statements before both leaving quickly made the rounds on NFL Twitter, drawing laughs from fans and analysts alike.
One commented on the fact that the typically stoic Belichick finally showed a bit of personality on his way out.
oh so NOW he wants to have some personality https://t.co/50jYcUDoM3
— IcyVert (@IcyVert) January 11, 2024
Tebow was the only former player that Belichick directly mentioned during any of his parting comments as he instead gave general thanks to Kraft, New England’s fan base, and all of the great players he had the privilege of coaching.
Belichick coached a plethora of all-time great players during his time leading the Patriots, including the likes of Hall of Famers Junior Seau, Randy Moss, Ty Law, Richard Seymour, and Darrelle Revis. He also coached a pair of likely future Hall of Famers quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski, among others.
Those realities led some to point out the strangeness of Tebow, who never played a snap for New England, being the lone former player directly referenced by Belichick.
I did not have my money on Tim Tebow being the only former Patriots player mentioned by Bill Belichick at his farewell press conference. https://t.co/JkFW3jUTYe
— Al Butler (@ALaboutSports) January 11, 2024
Belichick departs New England as perhaps the greatest coach in the history of the NFL. Kraft described him as such during the farewell press conference, and it’s an easy case that many pundits have argued and will assuredly continue to argue through the years.
MORE: Why Did the Patriots and Bill Belichick Part Ways?
Belichick won an NFL record six Super Bowls and advanced to 10 during his time with the Patriots, racking up a 296-133 combined record over the regular season and playoffs across his tenure at the helm.
Although Belichick looks poised to continue coaching in the NFL, his time in New England is at an end. As one fan pointed out, his brief farewell press conference and the end of Belichick’s storied run with the franchise will now forever be linked to a most unlikely suspect in Tebow.
Lmao Tim Tebow’s name is going to be linked to this Belichick/Patriots ending!🤣😂😅
— Jorge's Modern Life (@XEETXEET69) January 11, 2024
Ultimately, it’s a fitting ending to Belichick’s one-of-a-kind run in New England.
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