New England Patriots

Bill Belichick recalled how the Patriots were ‘captivated’ by Kobe Bryant’s team talk

"The respect and reverence he commanded far exceeded him being a legendary player."

Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant with then-Patriots defensive back Eric Rowe in 2018. Eric Rowe/Instagram

The tragic death of NBA great Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash on Sunday has drawn numerous reactions from across the sports world.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick was among those to share their memories of Bryant.

In a statement, Belichick referenced Bryant’s visit with the Patriots in 2018.

“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,” wrote Belichick. “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 his goals.”

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Belichick closed by referencing all nine victims of the crash.

“I hope our collective thoughts and prayers can help provide strength to the families of all the victims of this tragedy.”

Here’s Belichick’s full message:

https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1222228616798490628

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