New England Patriots Coaches Wear Nate Ebner Shirts to Support Olympian

New England Patriots safety and special teams whiz Nate Ebner has a good excuse for missing practice—and his NFL comrades are in full support.

As a member of the United States rugby team, Ebner was granted leave from the NFL to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. During Tuesday’s joint practice with the New Orleans Saints, New England coaches donned shirts with Ebner’s name and rugby number (12) on the back.

Yes, that includes famously grumpy head coach Bill Belichick, who traded in his cut-off hoodie for an Ebner shirt in a show of solidarity.

They were also watching on Tuesday afternoon, when Team USA dropped its opening Olympic matchup against Argentina:

The 27-year-old has endured a lot on the way to Rio, and his NFL peers are rooting him on in his quest for gold before the 2016 season kicks off.

[NESN, h/t SB Nation's Pats Pulpit]