Belichick Says Letter to Trump ‘Not Politically Motivated’

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Bill Belichick says the letter he wrote to President-elect Donald Trump before Election Day was done out of a friendship that goes back many years and was "not politically motivated."

Belichick addressed the letter during a news conference Wednesday, two days after Trump read it aloud at a campaign rally in New Hampshire.

The letter congratulated Trump on his campaign and praised him for overcoming "slanted and negative media" to "come out beautifully." But Belichick said he writes hundreds of notes every month and that it "doesn't mean I agree with every single thing that every person thinks about politics, religion or other subjects."

When Belichick was asked follow-up questions about the letter and whether it caused any division in New England's locker room, he repeated "Seattle" five times, referencing that the team is focused on preparing for Sunday's game against the Seahawks.