New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gave his team the night off Tuesday so they could watch teammate Nate Ebner’s USA Rugby team compete in Rio.
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While much of the news surrounding the New England Patriots has been about Tom Brady, there is another player on the roster who has drawn some attention as of late, and for much more positive reasons.
The Patriots have prepared for the upcoming season without safety Nate Ebner, who is currently competing with the USA Rugby team in the Rio Olympics.
The squad had two games in Rio yesterday, losing the first to Argentina 17-14, but winning the second in a 26-0 shutout against Brazil. And while Ebner had his focus on the field for that second game, so did his teammates back in the states.
Bill Belichick gave the @Patriots the night off last night so they could watch @NateEbner. https://t.co/4H8K5bcx3n https://t.co/zmd37KKRjZ
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2016
This was an awesome move by Bill Belichick and his coaching staff. Anyone who has played sports at any level knows the bond teammates have, even if only for one season, and Ebner has been a hard-working member of the Patriots since being drafted in 2012, making it hard for him not to be respected among his peers in the NFL.
Ebner does point out in the video how his teammates may not have known what was going on in the game, but the support alone will be something he and his teammates will bond over once he gets back to the U.S to get ready for the 2016 NFL season.
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Ebner’s USA Rugby squad lost to Fiji earlier Wednesday, leaving them out of the quarterfinals and without the chance to bring a medal back home. For Ebner, this means he will be heading to training camp to prepare for the NFL season along with his teammates who should have gained a whole new respect for the safety after seeing his athletic prowess on the world’s stage.