"Coach Belichick is such a LEGEND!" - LeBron James tips his hat to Bill Belichick for legendary run as Patriots coach in NFL

LeBron James recently paid his respects to legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick amid news that he would be parting ways with the New England Patriots. The news came as a shock to many given that Belichick had been with the franchise for 24 years, winning numerous Super Bowl championships with Tom Brady. With that in mind, the world of professional sports has continued to weigh in.

While some are of the mindset that Belichick should retire, others are eager to see how he performs as a coach elsewhere. After coaching for 49 seasons in the NFL, Belichick will now have the chance to take his talents elsewhere.

As some NBA fans may recall, in 2017, when James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were playing the Boston Celtics, the NBA star nearly fell on Belichick, who was seated courtside.

Although LeBron James has long been a Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys fan, even he couldn't help but tip his hat to Belichick. As the world of professional sports awaits the press conference that is scheduled with Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft for today, James took to social media.

In a heartfelt post that included an emoji giving a military-style salute, he wrote:

"Coach Belichick is such a LEGEND!!!!! man"

LeBron James' previous reaction to Bill Belichick's job as a coach, and his love for the NFL

LeBron James may be considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, however, he also was an impressive football player in high school. With his unique blend of size, strength and athleticism, many fans have wondered what would have happened had James pursued an NFL career.

As LeBron James indicated during an episode of NFL legend Peyton Manning's Monday Night Football Manningcast, the hits were too much for him to take. Had he had a quarterback who would have saved him from being tackled so frequently, he may have stuck with the sport. James said at the time:

"If I would have had a better quarterback in high school, I might have continued to play football. But I took way too many hits and that led me to the basketball court."

Despite his talents taking him to the basketball court, James has continued to love all things American football, whether it be the NFL or NCAA. As fans may recall, amid Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots going on a spending spree in 2021, James took to social media to share his reaction.

At the time, James' Cleveland Browns and his Dallas Cowboys weren't making enough moves, leaving him and the rest of their fans jealous of the Patriots. Whether Belichick winds up landing on one of James' teams, only time will tell.