Longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has coached some of the best players of all time, whether it was on offense, defense or special teams. With the team recently elected to part ways with veteran placekicker Stephen Gostkowski, Belichick was quick to praise the talented special teamer as he will now begin seeking employment outside of New England for the first time in his NFL career.

Unfortunately for Gostkowski, he ended last season on injured reserve due to a hip injury that ultimately required surgery to repair.

“I have had the privilege of coaching some of the best specialists in the NFL and Stephen Gostkowski is one of them,” Belichick recently said in a statement, via NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk. “Stephen had many highlights over his 14 years as a Patriot and one of the most impressive was the way it began when he succeeded the most accomplished kicker in NFL history. For some, this may have been too difficult a challenge. But from his rookie year, Stephen exuded a maturity and confidence that demonstrated he was up to the task. He made several crucial kicks his rookie year and established a top level of performance and consistency for years and years to come. Stephen is a great teammate who made outstanding contributions over a decade of championship football.”

Of course, Belichick coached future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri as well, so the seasoned NFL head coach certainly knows a thing or two about top-notch special teamers. Both Vinatieri and the 36-year-old Gostkowski are multiple-time Super Bowl winners.