On Wednesday the Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots -- or at least some of them anyway -- visited the White House to celebrate their championship with President Donald Trump.
When he wasn't busy taking pictures without Tom Brady (who missed the trip because of family obligations), Jacoby Brissett was busy thanking a different president. The third-string Pats quarterback, who just wrapped up his rookie year, decided to pen a note to former President Barack Obama, thanking him for his inspiration.
Brissett took to Twitter and penned a note to "Big O" saying that when he was a 16-year-old living in Florida he heard Obama say "Yes we can" and took the words to heart. Seeing Obama take the Oval Office as the first African-American president was a motivating factor for Brissett, lifting any imaginary ceiling on his dreams and helping him believe he could achieve anything in life, like becoming an NFL quarterback.
Here's the full text of Brissett's note to Obama, with a little shot at Barry's jumper at the end (paragraph breaks ours for ease of reading).
Dear Big O,
I am writing you this letter to say thank you. I want to thank you for what you have done for this country -- outside of politics. honestly, I don't know enough about politics to judge what was good or bad, but I want you to know that when you said "Yes We Can" -- a young man dreaming a dream from rough circumstances in Florida heard you. When you were elected President for the first time I was 16 and I watched you make the never-imaginable, attainable and I heard your cry to inspire hope. I used those words as motivation and saw your achievement as an opportunity and permission to work make dreams come true too. You were the President of the United States -- the highest office in the world. You broke a barrier and a stereotype proving not every minority has to use a ball to make a way.
You've inspired a lifetime of dreamers young and old. Now, kids from my community -- and my future children -- will know there is no dream too big -- even they could be the President of the United States. As I prepare for the honor of visiting the White House, I will be there as a Super Bowl Champion -- and I will think of you, mainly because the White House is a different, and better place because you lived there. I was a kid that came from nothing and I am living out one of the greatest dreams of my life. I am just grateful for the opportunity to walk on the same steps you did, and to have a platform to inspire and I hope to leave my mark on history the way you did.
One day, when I meet you, I will shake your hand and say thank you to your face but until then this kid is going to continue to dream until I can't anymore. Thank you for blazing a trail, but for more than that, for leaving a paved road behind you for others to climb on.
The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your DREAMS - Oprah
Yes we can!! DREAM BIG!!
Thank you,
Jacoby BrissettP.S. Holla at me to help you with your broke jump shot
Sick burn on the jump shot! But in all seriousness, this is a cool note from a guy who achieved several dreams (NFL quarterback, Super Bowl champion) to the guy who inspired him to achieve those dreams.
People will inevitably take this out of context and get hot and bothered by Brissett writing a note to a president who is not in the office, but it's pretty obvious that Obama had a profound influence on Brissett in terms of motivating him to keep fighting for his dreams and to keep reaching for the stars.