Belichick Declines Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump

Yesterday we reported that Bill Belichick, Patriots Head Coach, would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday from President Donald Trump. It is now being reported that that will not happen.

According to ESPN, Belichick said that he will 'not move forward' with accepting one of the highest civilian honors in the United States. The Presidential Medal of Freedom was orginally established back in 1963 under JFK. The medal was awarded to people who displayed 'exceptional contributions to the security of national interests of America, world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors'.

A statement by Belichick reads in part,

"Recently I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for prior recipients. Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award."

The original story follows,

According to WABI TV 5, Bill Belichick is set to received one of the Nation's highest civilian honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The longtime New England Patriots Coach is the only coach in NFL history to win six Super Bowl titles.

Bill Belichick admits that he is not a political person though back in 2016 he wrote a letter of praise about Donald Trump prior to his election victory. Recently, the President has been selecting several political donors and sports figures to receive the coveted honor and though it's typically presented in a televised ceremony, accolades are expected to be dispersed in a more private setting this go around. Trump has been widely avoiding most press since the November election.

Belichick also runs the 'Bill Belichick Foundation' which helps to provide scholarships and grant funds to underprivileged youth that want to participate in sports programs. The award is expected to be presented on Thursday according to a White House staffer who chose to remain anonymous.

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