The President of the United States of American Donald Trump is set to bestow the country’s highest civilian honour to New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, latest reports have claimed.
The only NFL coach to have won the Super Bowl a record six times, Bill Belichick has been a longtime friend of Donald Trump, who will confer the coveted award to the Pats mentor before his tenure at the White House concludes.
Trump to award Medal of Freedom to Bill Belichick this Thursday
According to a report from Politico, sources within the White House have claimed that Trump is set to award Belichick the Medal of Freedom on Thursday. However, they also claimed that no spokesperson from the team have made any comments so far.
Although Trump has clashed with several NFL players in the past, his relationship with Belichick has been of “friendship and loyalty”, as stated by the Patriots coach himself after he had sent a letter of commendation to the President before his 2016 election rally. Likewise, Trump himself reappointed his friend to serve as a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition back in December.
A day after the Capitol riots last week, Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom to golfers Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player.
In 2017, both Belichick and the Patriots squad were welcomed to the White House following the Super Bowl victory, but not after they clinched the trophy again in 2019.
Although Patriots failed to make the cut to the playoffs this season, they have enjoyed a stellar NFL run under Belichick since he took charge of the team back in 2000.
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Alongside six Super Bowl victories, Belichick also holds the record as the coach with most Super Bowl appearances (9) as well as most playoff victories (31). He has also been conferred the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year Award three times and holds a 310–147 head coaching record in the NFL.
