FOXBORO -- Even though the game was all the way back in February and Malcolm Butler is no longer on the team, one of the biggest topics surrounding the Patriots is still Bill Belichick's decision not to play the cornerback in Super Bowl LII.
At Belichick's first media availability of training camp, the head coach was pressed by Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe on the matter, and the coach refused to give anything.
"Last year is last year. I am not focused on last year," he said.
Belichick added: "We talked about that. That was multiple months ago."
Shaughnessy asked if he cares that fans still want to know more about what happened.
"I am focused on doing the best that I can for the 2018 New England Patriots," Belichick said. "That is my job and that is what I am going to do. That is what I have always done in the past. Every day that I have coached here I have done the best that I could for the football team and I will continue to do that. Right now my focus is on the 2018 season, not 2017, not 2014, not 2007, not 2004, not 2001, not 2000. I am not focused on any of those seasons. They are done."
Finally, the coach was asked if he feels he owes the team an explanation for the decision.
"It is important for me to have a good season in 2018 and I am going to do the best that I can to do that," he said. "I am going to do the best that I can for the football team. That is my job and that is my responsibility. That is what I am going to try to do. Hopefully you can respect that, but maybe not."
And with that, until (or if) Belichick writes a tell-all book once he retires, it doesn't appear there will ever be an explanation as to what took place in Minnesota last February 4.
Related Patriots Content
Training camp preview: Biggest questions, players to watch, potential sleepers
