Watch CBS News

Patriots Reportedly Had Massachusetts ACLU Director Rahsaan Hall Lead Team Meeting On Racism In America

BOSTON (CBS) -- Bill Belichick may come across as a man committed to football and only football, but that doesn't mean it's the only topic of conversation he has with his team. He knows when football needs to take a backseat to more important discussions, and with the country in an unsettling place following the death of George Floyd, the Patriots head coach welcomed a powerful speaker to chat with his team last week.

According to MMQB's Albert Breer, Belichick had Rahsaan Hall, the director of the racial justice program at the Massachusetts ACLU, join the Patriots' team Zoom meeting to address the unrest in the country. Hall led an hour-long discussion with the team, providing an education on racism in the country.

"Those I spoke with said that Hall was excellent, and spoke in great depth on the subject," Breer wrote Monday. "And the theme of the session makes sense, given how Belichick has always used history to educate his teams. Also, there was a level of comfort there already, since the Patriots and Hall have worked together, with Hall having addressed the New England rookies during last June's rookie transition program."

Last week, NFL Network's Mike Giardi reported that the Patriots were "sacrificing football" to hold discussions on the state of the country. One player told Giardi "we couldn't do this without [Belichick's] leadership."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.