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Report: Patriots file tampering charges against Texans over Nick Caserio

From virtually the moment the Houston Texans surprisingly fired general manager Brian Gaine five days ago, it’s been speculated that they’d zeroed in on one man.

But they might have zeroed in too quickly or through improper channels.

Report: Patriots file tampering charges

The New England Patriots have reportedly filed tampering charges against the Houston Texans over their director of player personnel, Nick Caserio, right. (Getty Images)
The New England Patriots have reportedly filed tampering charges against the Houston Texans over their director of player personnel, Nick Caserio, right. (Getty Images)

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Wednesday that the New England Patriots have filed tampering charges with the NFL against the Texans for Houston’s attempts to hire Nick Caserio.

The league is now expected to gather relevant information to open an investigation, Schefter tweeted.

Caserio is the Patriots’ director of player personnel and de facto general manager, and has been with the team since 2001.

The NFL anti-tampering policy says that “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” is not allowed.

The Texans have reportedly requested permission to speak with Caserio but it hasn’t yet been granted.

Last Thursday night, the Patriots held their Super Bowl LIII ring ceremony at team owner Robert Kraft’s home. Jack Easterby, who recently left the Patriots and his role as team chaplain/character coach and signed with the Texans as vice president of team development, was at the celebration, as was Caserio.

The next day, the Texans fired Gaine.

Do the Patriots believe that something happened between Caserio and Easterby at the party that led to Gaine’s firing?

Since Bill O’Brien, a former New England assistant, was hired as Houston’s head coach, there have been a lot of players, coaches and front-office people with Patriots ties that have made the move to the Texans.

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