Coach Belichick is known for his casual attire. His hoodie and cut-off sleeves are so famous that even President Obama jokingly expressed surprise at seeing Coach in a smart suit during the team's visit to the White House in April.
But there was a lot more meaning to his outfit than you may have realized just from looking at photos of the visit.
As the Armenian Mirror-Spectator reports, Bill sported a small Armenian flag pin that Berj Najarian, the Patriots long-time director of football administration, gave him to wear for the special occasion.
According to reporter Stephen Kurkjian, Berj shared the story behind the pin during a recent talk at St. James Armenian Church Men's Club in Watertown, Mass.
Berj, whose grandfather was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, explained that it was a "no-brainer" to have Coach wear the pin rather than wear it himself, with the hope that journalists would notice. And they did, although the complete story of the pin as a symbol of support for the Armenian people and recognition of the Genocide was not made public until the talk in Watertown earlier this week.
As Kurkjian writes, Berj also discussed a brief conversation he had with President Obama on the topic of the Genocide, describing the exchange as "the most memorable [experience] of his career."
You can read more about the pin worn by Coach Belichick and Berj's talk in Watertown on the Armenian Mirror-Spectator website.
