Fresh off a much-needed win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are now headed for a well-deserved weekend off. It is a weekend that Belichick is unafraid to admit that he is looking forward to. However, it is not because he wants to get away from football for a while. It is actually the complete opposite.
Having no game this Sunday allowed for his schedule to clear up enough to let him check out another football team that means a lot to him — the Naval Academy. The Navy is hugely important to Belichick, and with the annual Army/Navy game being played this weekend at Gillette Stadium, Belichick will be in the building — his building to catch all the action.
Did Bill Belichick Play for Navy?
While Belichick did not ever suit up for the Naval Academy as a player, it is a team and a program that holds a dear place in his heart. It all started when Bill was just four years old, when his father, Steve Belichick, joined the Navy football program for 33 years. Steve was a coach and a scout for the Navy, which set up Bill to have his most formidable years and possibly his most fond memories around the program.
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Bill’s father retired from coaching in 1989, and by that time, Bill himself had already been coaching in the NFL ranks for over 14 years. Bill has often used the time he spent at the Navy as the backbone of his coaching style and has used that time and teachings as a guiding light for him and his career.
Belichick Is Excited for the Game
When asked Friday morning about watching the team he grew up loving playing in the stadium he has called home all these years, Belichick was open about his feelings.
“It’s a very unique opportunity that is full circle,” Belichick said.
“I have a great appreciation for the Naval Academy and a great appreciation for this game. It’s a thrill for me that it’s taking place in our stadium. I look forward to the people I’m going to see and the classic event that it is – not just the game, but everything that leads up to it, starting with some events tonight and hopefully culminating in a Navy win.”
“This is really a nice luxury for me. It’s been a long time since I’ve had an opportunity to do this, and I’m very much looking forward to it.”
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