President Donald Trump thinks Bill Belichick should have been elected to the Hall of Fame — hinting that a “controversial” recent history may have led voters to snub the celebrated coach.
In an exclusive Super Bowl interview, “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Llamas asked the president for his thoughts on Belichick — who won six Lombardi Trophies as head coach of the New England Patriots — not securing election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot.
Belichick’s failure to secure the honor has been a hot topic of discussion in the run-up to this season’s championship game.
“I thought it was terrible,” Trump said. “I mean, he’s won so much, won so many Super Bowls. Great coach. Became a little bit controversial, I guess, after that, this little period after that. During it, he was just a great coach. I thought it was very inappropriate.”
“It’s like what have you done for me lately?” Trump continued. “Well, you know, you have a great career and he has had a little bit of a controversial year and a half, two years maybe. But, what difference does that make? No, he should’ve — he should be in there right at the top.”
Belichick, who is now head football coach at the University of North Carolina, needed to secure 40 out of a possible 50 votes to secure a spot in the Canton, Ohio, hall. Voters have suggested Belichick’s role in sign-stealing and under-inflated football scandals, dubbed “Spygate” and “Deflategate,” in the middle of his Patriots career may have motivated some of their decisions.
More recently, Belichick, 73, has been the subject of discussion stemming from his relationship with girlfriend Jordon Hudson, who is 49 years his junior.
Belichick and Trump have a relationship that dates back years. On the eve of his 2016 election as president, Trump read a supportive letter from Belichick aloud to rallygoers in New Hampshire. The letter congratulated Trump “on a tremendous campaign,” adding that Belichick “always had tremendous respect for you, but the toughness and perseverance you have displayed over the past year is remarkable.”
More from NBC News’ interview with Trump
In his NBC News interview, the president declined to predict whether the Patriots or the Seattle Seahawks would emerge victorious at the Super Bowl.
He did have high praise for both squads, led by quarterbacks Drake Maye in New England and Sam Darnold in Seattle.
“Well, I’ve watched them both during the season,” Trump said. “And New England’s amazing because they have a second coming. … Quarterbacks both good. Seattle’s an amazing comeback quarterback and the other one’s just an amazing quarterback. I think it’s gonna be a great game.”
“I like both areas of our country very much,” he continued. “I better not make any predictions. You get yourself in big trouble. But I think it’s gonna be a really great game. Seattle’s had an amazing season. New England has a great tradition of winning. And [Patriots owner] Bob Kraft’s done a fantastic job. You know, the whole thing is, really, it’s gonna be very exciting.”
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