As Patriots coach Bill Belichick would put it, on to the next one.
On to John Dorsey. Or Louis Riddick. Or anyone with football chops and a legit resume, who is equipped and qualified to take over as the fourth general manager in Houston Texans history.
It won’t be Jack Easterby. Not anymore.
With just six little words, the legendary coach and – significantly – keeper of the game and football historian, slaughtered any chance Easterby had of taking over the job.
The nugget Belichick shared with reporters Monday may have seemed casual and spur-of-the-moment, but rest assured it was not.
Nothing ever is when Belichick speaks publicly. There’s always a goal; an end-game. And there was one here, too.
When asked about Easterby, who seemingly has been angling his way in the Texans GM conversation for weeks, Belichick said he appreciated Easterby during his time in New England. He said Easterby played a valuable, varied role in the organization.
But when asked if he believed Easterby would get into the football side and work in a general manager capacity, Belichick said, “Jack is not a personnel person, no."
And just like that, the Bill O’Brien-Easterby nightmare all but came to an end. The greatest coach in the history of the game not only did not sign off on the possibility of Easterby being a legitimate GM candidate, he eviscerated them.
It was the kind of favor Texans fans probably never expected to get from the man who’s bludgeoned their team for years, but it was no small thing and it was measured and calculated.
Remember, Belichick rarely opens up in public settings and press conferences. When he does, it usually is when he’s asked about one of two things – an assistant or staff member up for a job, or the history and integrity of the game.
The topic of Easterby involved both things.
Belichick had a Sophie’s Choice of sorts. Choose and endorse the loyal assistant, as he always does. Or defend the honor and processes of the game, which he also always does.
It proved to be an easy choice. Belichick was not going to compromise himself, the game or perhaps his loyal former assistant Bill O’Brien.
Belichick is all about taking all the steps and respecting the history of football.
Do your job. Trust the process. Etcetera.
In Easterby, clearly he saw what the rest of us saw – someone who has and continued to attempt to skip steps. Easterby was a loyal and engaging part of the New England organization, but if he wanted to become an eventual general manager, Easterby was doing it wrong.
And don’t underestimate the lack of loyalty to O’Brien that Belichick saw from afar. In an organization that reinforced the spelling of T-E-A-M, Easterby bailing and distancing himself from O’Brien might have struck Belichick as weak and disloyal.
Thus, when Belichick stepped to the podium the week of Patriots-Texans, he knew what question might come. He was prepared. He was ready to end this Easterby-as-GM nonsense once and for all.
And he did.
It was a direct, clean, efficient kill shot to any designs Easterby had on becoming Texans general manager. It may be doubtful Easterby even could hang around and take on another role in the building after this, even if Texans owner Cal McNair said as much after O’Brien’s firing.
The only chance Easterby has of ever becoming the Texans general manager now would be if McNair doesn’t check references. Especially that of the most important voice in football.
Thanks, Bill. The protector of the game just protected the Texans from themselves.