Bill Belichick provided some important context Wednesday regarding tampering charges the New England Patriots filed against the Houston Texans this offseason.
Belichick said former Patriots character coach and current Texans executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby had nothing to do with the tampering.
After the Texans requested to interview Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio for their open general manager job this spring, New England responded by filing tampering charges. That put the kibosh on Caserio interviewing with the Texans, who went without a general manager this season.
It was speculated that Easterby, already a member of Houston’s staff, had talked to Caserio at the Patriots’ Super Bowl LIII championship ring ceremony on June 6. The Texans fired general manager Brian Gaine the next day. The Texans requested to interview Caserio on June 12.
The Patriots could have made the argument that Caserio essentially holds the Patriots’ general manager job, which would preclude the Texans from interviewing him. Belichick has made it clear several times this season that Caserio is in charge of Patriots transactions.
Caserio is in the last year of his contract with the Patriots. The Texans are expected to pick up their pursuit of Caserio next offseason.
The Patriots play the Texans on Sunday night in Houston.
