Inside The Huskies

Bill Belichick Raves About Husky Game-Day Experience

The former NFL coach and father of the UW defensive coordinator tells ESPN he enjoyed himself.

Dan Raley

Michael Penix Jr. takes a selfie on a night when all the stars came out for Husky football.
Michael Penix Jr. takes a selfie on a night when all the stars came out for Husky football. / Skylar Lin Visuals

There was so much football royalty in the house for the Washington-Michigan game -- among them Billy Joe Hobert, Michael Penix Jr., Dave Hoffmann and Jerome Kearse -- that Bill Belichick almost slipped in unnoticed.

However, the former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl winner was down on the field before the game with his son, Husky defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, and his grandchildren, soaking up a fun atmosphere.

On Monday, he replayed his weekend visit to Montlake on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, offering gushing reviews of what he experienced as the Huskies took a 27-17 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 72,132 and an NBC national TV audience.

"What an environment," Belichick said. "It was the first time I've eve been out there to the University of Washington and Seattle for the game. Right there on the lake. The crowd was incredible. What a great, great environment for a college football game. Big, big win for the Huskies."

Belichick has lent his support to a UW football program run by Jedd Fisch, one of his former assistants with the Patriots and his son's coaching leader.

He also was in town to raise money at a weekend dinner for Montlake Futures, the fund-raising arm supporting name, image and likeness opportunities for UW players.

According to On Montlake's Christian Caple, Belichick met with more than 20 donors who paid $25,000 per person to meet and share a private meal with him at the Metropolitan Grill in downtown Seattle on Friday night. He apparently also attended a smaller event on Saturday in which attendees spent $1,000 to meet the former coach, according to Caple.

The older Belichick attended Husky practices during spring practice and fall camp in support of his son, Fisch and the UW. Wearing team gear each time, he seems to enjoy himself. The game and its positive vibe met his full approval.

"The fans are into it," Belichick told McAfee. "it was Michigan and Washington, kind of the rematch game, even though neither team had a whole lot of players from last year. It was still a heckuva game. Penix was there. it was great. great environment."

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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