Bill Belichick applauded his New England Patriots friday for his activism.
Speaking at a video convention with reporters, Belichick was asked about the kind of internal discussions about race and injustice the team had had in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting. He refused to reveal the main points of the talks, but said he was “very proud” of his team.
“I’m going to keep the things that happened on the team, personal on the team,” Belichick said. “That’s the kind of forum we had, so I’m going to maintain its integrity. But I’ve actually learned a lot, I’m still learning a lot. We have a player organization. I’m very proud of this team and the players we have in it: the way they care in each other’s lives as teammates, the way they raise their families and care on the net on other levels.
“We are proud to get things right and not only to be a smart football team, but also to be a pillar of the community. This is still our purpose and expectations, and I’m very proud of what our players are doing at all those levels.”
Several Patriots players have spoken at press meetings and on social media since Blake, a 29-year-old black man, was shot seven times in the back last Sunday through a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Fieldback Cam Newton lamented that “extremely disgusting” occasions like Blake’s filming continue to happen in the United States. Professional corner Stephon Gilmore expressed his “frustration and sadness” for what he called “human rights violations.”
Team captains Devin McCourty and James White and corner veteran Jason McCourty discussed issues of police brutality and racial injustice Thursday after the Patriots were among the nine NFL groups that exercised in reaction to the shooting.
“I feel like right now, myself and I know a lot of other guys I’ve been talking to in the locker room right now, we’re just lost,” McCourty said in a touching 16-minute video conference. “It’s almost like a sense of despair.”
The Patriots are scheduled for 1 p.m. And Friday.