Belichick Calls Jets 'Another Team' On His History With Romeo Crennel
BOSTON (CBS) -- Bill Belichick has a deep history with many of the coaches on the Texans staff, most notably with former defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. Now the Texans' assistant head coach for the defense, Crennel once followed Belichick to New York to assist him with the Jets.
Or, as Belichick may prefer to call them, They Who Shall Not Be Named.
Belichick took a subtle shot at the Jets as part of his Wednesday morning presser before the Patriots' joint practice with the Texans at the GreenBrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Belichick has sneakily shown disdain for the Jets organization throughout his time in New England; here's how he referred to them on Wednesday:
"[Crennel] and I coached special teams together, and then we coached defensively together through 1990. We worked at the Patriots together, then another team, then back with the Patriots in 2001."
Between taking the jab at the Jets, Belichick explained why he's had such a close coaching relationship with Crennel over the years - even when they weren't working for the same team.
"I've relied on him through the years, both with our team when I worked with him but even at times outside when we could help each other and it wasn't a conflict in competitiveness," said Belichick. "He's helped me with a lot of things. I've learned a lot from the way he handles players, the fundamentals that he teaches, his preparation. Romeo works very hard. He's very well-prepared. Sound football coach."
Crennel served as the Jets' defensive line coach from 1997-99, when Belichick was the defensive coordinator. Crennel was then the Pats' defensive coordinator for their first three Super Bowls in 2001, 2003, and 2004 in Belichick's early years as head coach.
Despite the mostly thoughtful response on Crennel, Belichick couldn't resist showing that the Jets are still "another team" that he very much holds in contempt.