After recent comments made by Patriots owner Robert Kraft about the hiring of Bill Belichick, the former New England coach made a rare public response in a sign that the rift between the two remains ongoing.

In a statement to ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr., Belichick said he took a "big risk" by taking the Patriots job when he was hired in 2000.

According to Belichick, however, it was he that took the "big risk" in accepting the job.