It is a dog-eat-dog world in the NFL and no more so than on Friday night, when a canine companion made an unexpected appearance in place of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during the draft telecast — perhaps a hint that the second evening of the virtual event could have more unscripted moments in store.
After trading out of the first round, Belichick was set to make his second-round pick from a relatively spare home workstation, as coaches across the league settled in for the evening.
However, as the camera cut to Belichick’s compound, it was a friendly pooch named Nike and not the grim-faced, eight-time Super Bowl winner who appeared to be calling the shots, sitting in the coach’s chair with its eyes glued to a laptop.
Photo: AFP
“Who’s taken Belichick’s chair there?” the television announcer said, as the Patriots fetched Kyle Dugger 37th overall out of Lenoir-Rhyne University.
As the draft rolled onward, the camera cut back to Belichick as he gave the dog a treat, no doubt pleased with its selection of the 24-year-old safety.
NFL experts, analysts and fans seized on the moment, after a Thursday night opener that offered little in the way of surprises.
“I just want Bill Belichick to trade me his dog,” tweeted @bridgetbaseball.
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