Bill Belichick Shares Thoughts on Loss of Kobe Bryant

"He was a special player with an unmatched passion, intensity, and mentality toward achieving his goals."

The loss of NBA legend Kobe Bryant this week had many players of the New England Patriots reaching out via social media to mourn the loss of an iconic basketball figure. Now, head coach Bill Belichick, who knew Bryant very well, has shared his thoughts on the death of the 41 year old.

"This is an extremely sad time for the entire sports community," Belichick said via ESPN Insider Field Yates. "In my 45 years in the NFL, I have never witness a group as captivated as the day Kobe address our team two years ago. The respect and reverence he commanded far exceeded him being a legendary player. He was a special person with an unmatched passion, intensity and mentality toward achieving his goals. Kobe's determination led to a brilliant athletic career and paved the way for successes in the next chapters of his life. By bringing joy to millions of people with his extraordinary athletic ability, inspiring people to elevate the standard  for anything they do or performing countless acts of encouragement, Kobe's Bryant's lasting impact is immeasurable. I hope our collective thoughts and prayers can help provide strengthen the families of all the victims of this tragedy."

Well said by coach. You can't quantify how a legacy like Kobe's has impacted the entire world. But what we do know is it was and still continues to be significant. 

Bryant visited the Patriots during OTAs back in 2018, and was able to spend time with the team on the practice and in the meeting rooms. The rumor was that Bryant was brought in by Belichick because he had some of the same qualities as quarterback Tom Brady, which would connect with the players. The players picked up on that, and mentioned how inspiring Bryant was.

His impact is clearly felt throughout all realms of sports, which shows how legendary a professional athlete and person Kobe Bryant was.