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Belichick chokes up over Bruschi

Patriots owner Robert Kraft invited Bill Belichick to share his thoughts during Bruschi's retirement press conference.

In a rare display of public emotion, the head coach, from the moment he took to the podium, became choked up.

As his voice cracked, Belichick had to pause several times to compose himself as he gave one of the most touching send-offs a coach – especially one of Belichick’s stature and public persona – could ever give one of his players. He called Bruschi “the perfect player.”

"Instinctively he just… I don’t know how to put it other than to say, he always did the right thing,” Belichick said with a quivering voice, shaking his head as if in awe.

“[He] knew when to be serious, knew when to laugh, knew when to be tough, knew when to back off and play smart, knew when it was a screen, knew when to strip the ball, knew when to make the tackle.”

The coach then recalled the memory of Bruschi that is most vivid in his mind – a 27-yard interception against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day 2002. It was the Lions’ second play from scrimmage that day, and, as Belichick recalled, Bruschi executed it “exactly the way it was drawn up.” And as he did so many times in his career, Bruschi returned it for a touchdown.

“One of the all-time classic plays,” Belichick added. “There’s almost never a play that happens exactly the way you draw it up, especially defensively … it was unbelievable.”

As Belichick spoke, Bruschi, sitting at a table with Kraft to the coach’s left, listened and did his best to fight back tears.

Relinquishing the microphone to his player, Belichick concluded, “I know he’s always a part of us, but we’ll still miss him.”