FOXBORO, Mass. -- Moments before the start of Thursday's Patriots training camp practice, there was a humorous, awkward moment, one that ended far better than initially feared.
In case you missed it, Bill Belichick on Wednesday expressed his excitement for the 2023 Army-Navy game, which will be played at Gillette Stadium. Of course, New England's head coach has deep ties to the Naval Academy, for which his father, Steve, taught and coached for 30 years.
Then, Thursday morning, Jerry Thornton of Barstool Sports asked Belichick whether he could get tickets to the game for one of Thornton's friends. Thornton obviously was joking, but his delivery was convincing and it had other reporters wondering whether Belichick would get ticked off.
To Belichick's credit, he laughed at the question before giving a thoughtful, detailed explanation of his relationship with the Naval Academy.
Here's the full exchange:
Thornton: "Bill, yesterday you mentioned the Army-Navy game here next year. Do you have a connection for tickets? I'm asking for a friend."
Belichick: "Do I think I can get a ticket to the game? I do. I think I could get a ticket to the game.
"Look, the Naval Academy has been nothing but exceptional and great to our family. So, I moved there when I was four. And, regardless of what my age or position was -- whether I was in school, an assistant coach, a coordinator, a head coach, or whatever it was -- whatever I've ever asked for from the Naval Academy, and specifically the people that are there now -- Admiral Buck, (athletic director) Chet Gladchuk, (head coach) Ken (Niumatalolo) -- if I've asked them for anything, they have delivered it on a silver platter, done as much as they possibly could.
"And whether that was my mom, my dad, my kids, anybody, they've taken care of our family to the absolute very best that they possibly could. And I sincerely appreciate that from the bottom of my heart. So, if I asked them for something, they would probably try to do it for me, because that's what they've done for almost 70 years. I have nothing but great things to say about the Naval Academy -- institution, the football program, the athletic program, and Admiral Buck, it all starts from him and goes down. And so, I couldn't feel any stronger about an organization than that one."
You can watch the exchange in the video below:
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