Bill Belichick Publishes Thanks to Patriots Fans

After 24 seasons as Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick thanked New England fans on Sunday in print for their dedication, their passion, and even their "creative play suggestions." Belichick, whose tenure ended last month, took out a full-page ad in the main news section of the Boston Globe to deliver the message in an open letter, NBC Sports reports. "Nowhere in America are pro sports fans as passionate as in New England and for 24 years, I was blessed to feel your passion and power," the letter says.

"You were undaunted by weather, attended scorching hot training camp practices and braved Foxborough's coldest, wettest, snowiest, and windiest days," Belichick wrote, mentioning that fans regularly traveled to road games, as well, and "overtook opposing stadiums." He referred to his memories of the six parades that followed the Patriots' Super Bowl victories. "You may even have enjoyed my fashion sense and press conferences, or maybe you just tolerated them," he added, per ESPN. "I loved coaching here and, together, we experienced some amazing moments." Belichick, 71, does not have an NFL coaching job for next season. (More Bill Belichick stories.)