The Houston Texans did not have any contact with Nick Caserio prior to the firing of general manager Brian Gaine. At least, that is what coach Bill O’Brien claims.
A reporter asked O’Brien Tuesday during his presser after the first day of minicamp practice at NRG Stadium, “Did you or [Texans vice president of team development] Jack Easterby have contact with Caserio or his representatives before Brian Gaine was fired?”
O’Brien’s response was pretty straightforward.
“I would say that the answer to that is no relative to contact about anything having to do with the Houston Texans, no,” O’Brien said.
According to a theory that Albert Breer from Monday Morning Quarterback published on June 10, Easterby may have talked to Caserio, the current New England Patriots director of player personnel, about taking the Texans’ GM job should it come open. Remember: Easterby was the Patriots’ character coach until Houston brought him on-board this offseason:
Easterby’s whereabouts the day before Gaine’s firing? Brookline, Mass., for the Patriots’ ring ceremony. Caserio and Easterby hanging out there isn’t huge news, because, again, they’re good friends. But it certainly stands to reason that Caserio’s future may have come up as they.
If Easterby and Caserio did indeed talk about a vacancy that wasn’t exactly available, then the Patriots would have reason to file tampering charges with the league against the Texans.
According to O’Brien, the firing of Gaine was the result of Texans chairman and chief operating officer Cal McNair conducting a thorough evaluation of the organization.
Said O’Brien: “He did a thorough evaluation of what goes on in this building on a day to day basis relative to the processes that are in place in all different areas, not just coaching, not just scouting, every area: Training room, equipment, nutrition, business side, everything and that’s what I’ll tell you about that.”
Perhaps Gaine was a goner and Easterby knew it heading into the evening of June 6, which is why he put feelers out there for Caserio.
Nevertheless, O’Brien says that the club nor Easterby had contact with Caserio prior to Gaine’s firing.
