Belichick's son joins the family business

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots have hired Bill Belichick's son as a coaching assistant, making him the third generation of the family to try his hand as a football coach.

The team said Thursday that Steve Belichick will join his father's staff. Bill Belichick's father, also named Steve, was a fullback who played for the Detroit Lions and coached in college, spending 33 years on the staff at Navy.

Also Thursday, the team confirmed that it had hired running back Joseph Addai and seven rookie free agents.

Addai is a former first-round draft pick who played six seasons for the Indianapolis Colts. He has gained 4,453 yards on 1,095 carries with 39 rushing touchdowns in his career.