Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots, said on Monday that he is declining to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump, citing last Wednesday's siege of the U.S. Capitol, which was partly incited by Trump.
"Recently, I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for prior recipients. Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award," Belichick said in a statement obtained by ESPN.