Texans dropping pursuit of top GM candidate Nick Caserio
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Texans' hunt for their next general manager will be without their No. 1 candidate, the New England Patriots' Nick Caserio.
In the team's first statement after the Patriots filed a tampering charge against Houston, Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair said they are dropping the pursuit of Caserio:
"When we started the process to interview Nick Caserio for our EVP/GM position, we consulted the League office on numerous occasions, followed the procedures outlined in the League's rules and believed we were in full compliance. We have now been made aware of certain terms in Nick's contract with the Patriots. Once we were made aware of these contract terms, I advised Mr. Kraft that we would stop pursuing Nick."
McNair did not specifically mention whether the tampering charge was being dropped, but the move is expected.
In response, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft credited McNair for how the ordeal played out. Kraft's statement read:
"The Houston Texans and the New England Patriots have always had a great working relationship. We appreciated the way Cal McNair has handled this situation."
RELATED: Texans accused of tampering with GM candidate from New England
Houston fired general manager Brian Gaine the night after New England's Super Bowl ring ceremony at Robert Kraft's house. The Texans finished in first place in the AFC South with an 11-5 record last season.
Former Patriots team chaplain and current Texans executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby attended that party, as did Caserio, New England's director of player personnel since 2008. The Texans have requested permission to interview Caserio for their GM job but have not been granted permission to date, per sources.
The NFL's anti-tampering policy states: "Any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissibly induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL."
ESPN contributed to this report.
The video above is from a previous story.
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