AP

Steve Belichick admitted he wanted to be just like his dad. So when he sat down with reporters Monday, the Patriots safeties coach even dug in his father’s closet for a Rutgers lacrosse pullover, as well as some interview inspiration.

Via Phil Perry of CSNNE.com, the younger Belichick even talked like his dad at times, such as when asked about his promotion from coaching assistant this offseason. “Leave that to us,” he replied.

He’s 29 and just promoted from an entry level coaching position, but Steve said he’d be his own man wherever he was working. But make no mistake, the imprint of his father is strong on him, for good reason.

“It’s been cool,” he said. “Obviously, I love my dad. He’s my role model. He’s my idol. I want to be just like him. I have since I knew what an idol was. It’s rewarding for me to, I guess, see him more and learn from him more, because I’ve been away from him in high school and college on a day-to-day basis.”

Of course, he has a nearly as close relationship with one of the guys he’s coaching now, as he and veteran safety Devin McCourty were classmates at Rutgers, and McCourty’s only a year younger.

Steve gave a Belichickian answer when asked about his long-term goals, and if they included being a head coach: “I just hope to be here at the end of the day.”

“I just had my head down,” he said of his formative years in the coaching business. “I was just trying to work and get better. You never know when stuff like this is coming. There’s tons of changes in the NFL, but you just got to be ready for whatever they ask you to do and work your hardest and do the best you can. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

There’s no doubt having a famous last name helped him get in the door, and now he has a better opportunity to prove his hire was something other than nepotism.