FOXBORO, Mass. — Bill Belichick very clearly is trying to move past the whole Nick Caserio ordeal.
The Houston Texans pursued the New England Patriots director of player personnel back in June for their vacant general manager position. Said pursuit and the way the Texans went about it prompted the Patriots to file tampering charges, which the franchise eventually dropped after Houston said it would eliminate Caserio from its search.
During his media availability Thursday ahead of the Patriots’ first training camp practice, Belichick was asked if he had problems with how the Texans handled the situation, to which he responded that it was water under the bridge. The same reporter asked a few valid follow-ups later in the press conference, which clearly irked Belichick.
Here’s the transcript of the exchange.
Reporter: (Caserio) doesn’t technically count as a general manager by league rules? There’s some — know how they have rules about how you can interview someone if they’re technically a GM or if they have executive power over the roster, does he have those powers?
Belichick: Look, whatever the rules are, they are. I didn’t write them. Whatever they are, they are. Titles aren’t the most important thing in the world around here to us, winning is.
Reporter: Does he have executive power over roster decisions, or is that your power?
Belichick: I have never talked about contracts, I’m not going to start talking about them now. So, I don’t know why you would bring it up.
Reporter: Just for clarification.
Belichick: There’s no clarification. I’m not talking about contacts. Period. Players, coaches or anybody else’s. Never have and I don’t plan to.
Belichick proceeded to stare at the reporter until the next question was asked about five seconds later.
While future plans obviously remain uncertain for Caserio, he’s with the Patriots for now and that’s all that appears to matter to Belichick.
