New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick released a statement on Tuesday to address the death of former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who passed away in a helicopter crash near L.A. on Sunday.
Belichick had a recent encounter with Bryant, who joined the Patriots during their offseason program in May 2018. Bryant spoke to the team during a summer meeting — and that speech seemed to stick with the players through the season. It also stuck with Belichick to this day.
He wrote: “In my 45 years in the NFL, I have never witnessed a group as captivated as the day Kobe addressed our team two years ago. The respect and reverence he commanded far exceeded him being a legendary player. He was a special person with an unmatched passion, intensity and mentality toward achieving goals.”
Here’s Belichick’s complete statement.
