Bill Belichick's Silence on George Floyd After Previous Donald Trump Support Needs to Be Addressed

Bill Belichick has always come off as a reserved person during his time with the New England Patriots. That is why it was bizarre when Donald Trump read a letter from the head coach during his 2016 presidential campaign. The letter was an endorsement of Trump, and was likely intended to remain private. The ambitious recipient obviously saw the opportunity to promote such an endorsement, however, and Belichick quickly became one of the sports world's most famous known supporters of the eventual 45th president.

Now, we are facing a truly tough time in our country, and it is near impossible for those in professional sports to remain silent. Athletes and coaches from all leagues, including the NFL, have spoken out against racism and the oppression of African-Americans. Belichick, however, has not been one of those individuals.

What is taking place around the country following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police feels different than past protests. NFL players are among those being the most vocal, and Drew Brees made it clear that a locker room can shatter if those in positions of great influence fumble the opportunity to send a unifying message.

Silence is just not an option anymore given the "always on" climate of social media and the 24-hour news cycle. As an on-the-record Donald Trump supporter, Belichick has given himself a higher bar to pass when it comes to these serious public issues. Overall, he runs the risk of losing New England's locker room before the season even begins if he can't manage to produce the a pitch-perfect response to Floyd's death. Some may criticize him for being late if and when he does, but that is better than saying nothing at all and hoping the conversation goes away.

Belichick surely never wanted to get political, but once Trump read his letter, the cat was out of the bag. That's about as political as one can get. Now, he must demonstrate to his players and his community that his heart is in the right place.