New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick sported a Croatian flag on his shirt during his team’s Week 13 Thursday Night clash against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday. The two sides locked horns at Gillette Stadium.
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The flag of the country was on the left sleeve of the coach. During Weeks 4 and 5, players and coaches honored their national heritage by donning the flags of the nations represented in the league. And so, Belichick wore the Croatian flag on his apparel.
He did this against Green Bay in the fourth week and then against Detroit seven days later.
On wearing the patch at that time, the 70-year-old said,” This year the NFL gave us the opportunity to do that. I’m proud of my Croatian heritage and I’m proud to wear it.”
Proud of it and glad to have the opportunity to wear it,” added Belichick.
For those “that have that little bond” of Croatian ancestry, such as Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and Alabama coach Nick Saban, Belichick said it meant a lot to him to put that symbol out there.
Belichick’s family is from Croatia. Despite not being a citizen and not being in Croatia, Belichick explained that it still makes up half of his family’s heritage. Belichick revealed that while his father, Steve, was Croatian, his mother, Jeannette, was of English ancestry. In 1897, his paternal grandparents left Croatia.
