Why Bill Belichick suggests arriving early for Army-Navy football

Bill Belichick reveres the Naval Academy, its football program and the players who are part of it. The annual Army-Navy football game is sacred.

Belichick grew up in Annapolis and around the Midshipmen football program where his dad was an assistant coach and a scout. This game, which will be played in New England for the first time in its history on Saturday at Gillette Stadium, has been part of the Patriots coach’ life as long as football has.

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“There’s really nothing like Army-Navy,” he said. “I’ve been to a lot of big games and I’ve seen a lot of big games, both collegiately and professionally. But Army-Navy is special.”

Belichick was asked on Friday what people who are seeing it live for the first time should look for and make sure not to miss. He started with the March On. Before the game, the students – not just the football players – from both schools walk onto the field in formation.

“Well, not to get overly dramatic, but when you go to one of the military academies, you voluntarily agree and sign up to defend our country at all costs, including your life. That’s a voluntary decision and a very important one. So, ultimately, these are the men and women that are going to lead our country in the coming years and decades,” he said. “So, the March On for the Corps of Cadets and the Midshipmen is a pretty impressive thing. You look down and you see 4,000 men and women who are training to be our country’s leaders and our country’s defenders in the future. It’s a pretty impressive moment to recognize all those kids as they’re going through the process, and who they’re going to be and what’s going to come out of there. And the training that they’re going through, it makes you very proud to see that. The March On starts about three hours before the game. So, I would recommend that for sure.

“Again, when you voluntarily take the oath to go to the Naval Academy or go to West Point, you’re not thinking about your future as an NFL player or whatever,” he continued. “You’re thinking about your career as a military officer and fighting and defending our country.”

Belichick said while all involved understand that football isn’t the most important part of their academy experience, this game’s intensity remains at a peak.

“Football is part of it, but there’s a bigger part of it for them. Football is a game, but they’ll lay it all on the line. As they should and as they will in future years of combat and engagement,” he said. “I think that’s what you’re seeing, and the intensity of the game and how much it means to both academies. It’s a lot. It’s really a lot.”

Belichick said the people, who were able to get a very tough ticket will see in person, what soldiers and sailors are watching on aircraft carriers, army bases, military hospitals and undisclosed locations all over the globe at all hours of the day.

“Every Army and Navy officer that’s stationed wherever they’re stationed will be watching or listening to the game or following the game. There’ll probably be some wagers and so forth on it in all points around the world,” Belichick said. “It’s very intently viewed, watched, and recognized.

“Every American has probably some connection to Army or Navy,” Belichick said. “Through some family member or friend or whatever that served in one of those two branches. … I’ve learned through the years that everybody has a stake in Army or Navy one way or the other. So, it’s a national game that will be followed worldwide. And there’ll be a lot riding on it.”