Bill Belichick faced his toughest season yet at the helm of the New England Patriots, taking a depleted roster to a 7-9 finish and missing the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. Nothing went quite right for Belichick this year, and that included the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Belichick declined the award from his friend, President Trump, in the wake of the Capitol Hill riot. It’s hard to argue that Belichick is undeserving: There are certainly worse candidates than the greatest coach of all time, and on a more real-life level, he has used his platform to speak out in support of Armenians facing Turkish aggression and a conflict with Azerbaijan.
But it does highlight an interesting aspect of Trump as his presidency draws to a close. Team sports just don’t seem to be his thing. Belichick and Tom Brady, another Trump friend, have kept him at a distance in public. Doing otherwise might have cost them the trust of players and teammates, many of whom are virulently opposed to Trump the man.
Meanwhile, which athletes or sports figures were most supportive of Trump during his presidency? Those in combat sports, who have no teammates and are only promoting themselves as the individual. MMA fighters Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal were loud supporters of Trump, as was UFC President Dana White. Golfer Jack Nicklaus might be the most legendary retired athlete to support Trump.
It’s a good way to remember Trump as he departs the scene, with impeachment looming to bar him from the White House in the future. Trump was never much of a team player, but governing in a republic is a team sport — as is politics in our two-party system. In the end, his inability to put aside his ego and play for the team cost him GOP loyalty by losing the Senate and threatening congressional Republicans to do what he wanted.
It was always the simplest description of Trump, and sure enough, it’s the one that surfaces in the waning days of his one term. Belichick will be returning to his team next year to build it back into a contender. If the past is a guide, he’ll build it around a system, where the players all play a role that anticipates and magnifies the efforts of the others and is oriented toward the whole team. If Trump had followed the model of his friend, perhaps he would be looking at a different future.
