HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) -- For the first time since Deshaun Watson's trade request became public, leaders in the organization addressed the issue with media.
First-year general manager Nick Caserio, introducing new head coach David Culley, made it clear he has not interest in trading Watson.
Culley, 65, who's spent the past 27 years as an NFL position coach, was asked whether he'd been informed of Watson's trade request and how much the uncertainty there factored into his decision.
The new coach reiterated Caserio's stance of Watson remaining with the team.
"What I knew about this whole situation at that point was that I was being interviewed for this job to be the head coach. I did know at that point, Deshaun Watson is a Houston Texan. He's a quarterback of the Houston Texans and that's all I was concerned about. That's all I knew. Whatever's been said about what he wanted to do, or didn't want to do, all I know is this -- having been in this business this long, he is a Houston Texan. I want him to be a Houston Texan and the reason I'm in this position today is because I knew he's going to be a Houston Texan.
"And so the outside stuff that's been said was irrelevant to me because the most important thing to me at that time was figuring out what can I do, after talking with Nick and this (McNair) family, to become the head coach of the Houston Texans."
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It's been reported that Watson wants to be traded no matter who was hired as head coach.
While the Texans do not have to trade Watson, there is the question of how long they can go with a disgruntled superstar with the draft coming up this spring.
Watson's contract extension he signed last year has a no-trade clause, meaning Watson can veto any proposed trade and essentially select his destination.
For now, the Texans are sticking with the idea they won't budge on the request.