Bill Belichick made a surprise return to Foxborough on Saturday night, attending a dinner that marked the 10-year anniversary of the New England Patriots' Super Bowl LI championship, one day before the team's Week 9 meeting with the Green Bay Packers.
Earlier in the day, Belichick had been on the sideline for North Carolina's 38-21 win over Connecticut. Following that game, he smiled when asked about Rob Gronkowski's induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame, then drove to Foxborough to join the celebration of one of the defining triumphs of his 24 seasons as the team's head coach.
The dinner honored the anniversary of New England's 34-28 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, the fifth of six Super Bowl titles the franchise won under Belichick. The celebration of that team coincided with Gronkowski's Hall of Fame induction.
Belichick was not the only former Patriots star in attendance. Tom Brady also took part in the festivities and was on hand for Gronkowski's formal induction into the team's Hall of Fame on Saturday.
The appearance added to a stretch of reunions for Belichick, who recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of the New York Giants' first Super Bowl win. He served as the Giants' defensive coordinator during the franchise's first two Super Bowl titles.
One notable figure was missing from Saturday night's dinner, which was held at Davio's Steakhouse at Patriots Place. Patriots owner Robert Kraft, 85, is currently recovering from back surgery and was not present.
Belichick and Kraft do not appear to be on the best of terms. Belichick has kept his distance from the franchise since the two sides parted ways after the 2023 season, and last September he addressed reports that Patriots scouts had been prohibited from being at North Carolina's facilities. "It's clear I'm not welcome there at their facility. So they're not welcome at ours," Belichick said at the time.
Saturday's gathering amounted to a rare reunion between Belichick and the organization he led for nearly a quarter century. His tenure as Patriots coach produced six Super Bowl championships, nine AFC titles and 17 AFC East division crowns.
