The long-standing rumors about the relationship between former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and former President Donald Trump came to light this year with Apple’s documentary, The Dynasty. The film revealed how Belichick’s support for Trump caused tension among Patriots players.
In an interview on The Herd, former Patriots defensive back Logan Ryan discussed how Belichick’s political stance created a divide in a team that had always been instructed to avoid such topics. Ryan noted, “I see kind of the turn of the political statements coming out from Bill, supporting Trump and whatnot, and he said, ‘We’re not going to talk about anybody’s own personal beliefs.’” Ryan observed these changes after he left the Patriots in 2016 and noted that it disrupted the locker room’s usual code of silence on personal beliefs.
Ryan said that watching The Dynasty and hearing former players speak about this double standard confirmed his own experiences. Belichick’s letter to Trump, praising his “toughness” and “leadership” on the eve of the 2016 election, contrasted sharply with his later refusal of the Presidential Medal of Freedom following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Ryan added that when he later competed against the Patriots, he noticed how “tired” and “defeated” the team seemed after years of intense pressure and high standards.
“Bill did a great job of putting this camp around and not letting cameras inside,” Ryan continued. “But times have changed, people want to talk about political views. Political views got into football. People want to do commercials. It’s OK to have your cellphone in a meeting. These things, employees in a workplace demand change, and I think as a boss you’ve got to understand that.”
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Ryan compared the Patriots’ locker room environment to the film The Village, where an old-fashioned community struggles to operate in modern society. Now, Belichick is turning to the media to rehabilitate his image and pursue new opportunities as he chases the NFL all-time wins record for a coach. He is set to appear regularly on The Pat McAfee Show and the ManningCast this fall.