Bill Belichick attended a celebratory dinner at Davio’s Steakhouse at Patriots Place on Saturday following his North Carolina team’s 38-21 victory over UConn. The event marked the 10-year anniversary of the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI championship, a 34-28 overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons that represented the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl title during Belichick’s tenure as head coach. The timing of his appearance coincided with Gronkowski’s formal induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Tom Brady also participated in the festivities. Belichick’s attendance represented a notable return to the franchise, as he has maintained limited contact with the organization since departing after the 2023 season. The head coach was notably absent when the Patriots previously celebrated the 25th anniversary of the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship team.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft did not attend the dinner, as the 85-year-old is currently recovering from back surgery. Tension between Belichick and Kraft has been evident in recent years, with the two exchanging critical comments through media outlets. Last September, Belichick acknowledged that Patriots scouts had been prohibited from accessing North Carolina’s facilities, stating that given he was not welcome at their facility, his program would reciprocate the restriction.
Despite the strained relationship, Kraft indicated last year that he intends to commission a statue honoring Belichick, whose 24 seasons as head coach produced six Super Bowl championships, nine AFC titles, and 17 AFC East division titles. The dinner on Saturday marked a rare public appearance by the former coach at a Patriots-related event in recent years.
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