Bill Belichick will not be accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom honor from President Donald Trump.
Belichick was scheduled to receive the honor from Trump on Thursday in Washington D.C. The medals were established by John F. Kennedy in 1962 and are given to individuals to recognize them for “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
However, the New England Patriots head coach announced in a statement that he would not be accepting the medal.
Patriots’ HC Bill Belichick will not be traveling to Washington nor accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he announced today. pic.twitter.com/uvLLigFlHU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2021
In the statement, Belichick says he was “flattered” to receive the award. However, he says in light of last week’s event at the Capitol building in Washington D.C., led him to not move forward with the award.
Trump has talked during his presidency and in his presidential run about his close relationship with Belichick.
