FOXBORO — The Patriots held a press convention Thursday, permitting Bill Belichick and proprietor Robert Kraft to ship their statements in individual after the previous head coach and group mutually agreed to half methods.
Belichick talked about the Kraft household, coaches, assist workers, gamers, media and followers in his assertion, which lasted almost 5 minutes and was off the cuff. Belichick then shook Kraft’s hand, hugged him and allowed him to ship his personal assertion.
Here’s what Belichick mentioned on Thursday at midday:
“All proper, morning. I haven’t seen this many digicam since we signed Tebow. Robert and I after a collection of discussions have mutually agreed to half methods. For me this, is a day of gratitude and celebration. Start with Robert and his household. So a lot thanks for the chance to be the pinnacle coach right here for twenty-four years. It’s an incredible alternative, obtained great assist. We had a imaginative and prescient of constructing a winner, constructing a championship soccer group right here, and that’s exceeded my wildest goals and expectations, the quantity of success we had been in a position to obtain collectively by loads of arduous work and contributions of so many individuals. I’m very pleased with that and all the time have these reminiscences. I’ll carry these with me the remainder of my life.
“Of course, after Robert, due to the assistant coaches. I’ve had so many nice coaches right here. They’ve made my life a lot simpler. It’s a protracted checklist, however the quantity of labor, preparation and diligence that they do, each one in every of them, and I say this concerning the gamers and the coaches no matter how lengthy they had been right here, what number of years they had been right here, what number of years they coached or what the place was. It was an incredible group effort, and all people put the whole lot they’d into it. That’s why we had been profitable.
“To the coaches, the assist workers, it’s an incredible workers right here that supported me in each manner. All of the scouting, and all the soccer assist folks to the gear to the coaching, safety, video, operations and so forth, proper down that line. Dining room, it’s all firstclass. It’s all extraordinarily, extraordinarily good. Special due to Berj (Najarian) and Nancy (Meier). They’ve been right here since Day 1 and made my life so much simpler, or I’ve made theirs so much tougher, nevertheless you wish to take a look at it. But that’s an enormous shoutout to them.
“Of course, quite a lot of thanks and appreciation to the gamers. Players win video games within the NFL, and I’ve been very lucky to educate among the biggest gamers who’ve ever performed, among the biggest gamers who’ve ever performed for the Patriots. Some of them are already within the corridor of fame. Many extra are going. Regardless of nevertheless lengthy the gamers had been or weren’t right here or what their function was or what number of video games they performed or even when they didn’t win championships, I respect the way in which the gamers come to work right here every day, all of them that I’ve coached, nicely over 1,000. But their capability to work, put together, prepare within the weight room, prepare their our bodies, meet, rehearse again and again what we have to do issues proper to achieve success to win, I’ve a lot respect for all the gamers, and we’ve had many which have been right here for a very long time and had nice contributions. Too many to call right now, however nice due to the gamers.
“To the media, to you guys, I don’t know if anybody has obtained extra protection than I’ve, now we have within the final 24 years. I offer you guys loads of respect, what you do. You’re our voice to the followers. Even thought we don’t all the time see eye to eye all the time — more often than not however not all the time — I do respect what you do.
“Finally, to the followers. Fans listed below are wonderful. So many reminiscences of the followers, the send-offs, the parades, the Sundays, regardless of the conditions are. The letters to assist, the seeing the followers away from right here at a gasoline station or grocery retailer or wherever you stumble upon them. The Patriots followers right here and never simply in New England however they lengthen nationally and even internationally as I’ve traveled. It’s wonderful how far the arm reaches. We noticed that this 12 months in Germany. So appreciative of the followers for all the assist they’ve given me, my household, this soccer group.
“There are so many fond memories and thoughts that I think about the Patriots. I’ll always be a Patriot. I look forward to coming back here, but at this time, we’re going to move on. And I look forward, I’m excited for the future but always very, very appreciate of the opportunity here, the support here and Robert, what you’ve done here for me. Thank you.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com