Houston Texans new head coach David Culley continues to answer questions about the future of quarterback Deshaun Watson.
A day after saying Watson was the club's quarterback "right now" on the Huddle & Flow podcast, Culley joined NFL Network's Good Morning Football and was asked about his conversations with the signal-caller since taking the head coaching gig.
"I did have a conversation with him," Culley said. "What people forget is not only did I have a conversation with Deshaun Watson during that time, I had conversations with other players on this football team. And when you have conversations with individuals in that way, it's a private matter. And I want to keep it that way with the one I had with Deshaun and the one I had with other players also on this football team. But I will say this about Deshaun. He is a wonderful person. He is a tremendous quarterback. We are committed to him. He is our quarterback, and I'm going to leave it at that."
One thing is certain: It will not be left at that.
Watson has requested a trade and is adamant he'll no longer play again in Houston. The Texans have heretofore insisted they aren't trading a 25-year-old star quarterback.
The staring contest goes on.
NFL Network's Kay Adams asked Culley, hypothetically, if there is a point when it becomes healthier for all parties to move on.
"I don't know if there is a point that that happens," Culley responded. "Nick (Caserio), our general manager, handles all those things. I'm here to coach the football team, and I'm going to coach the football team. Anything that happens with personnel or with trades and free agency, Nick and our personnel department handles that."
Fair or not, until Caserio meets with the media to answer questions about Watson, it will be Culley who is peppered about the lingering status of one of the biggest names in football. It's the GM, not the coach, who should be answering the bulk of questions about Watson's future.
From the outside, it appears the Texans have been in major turmoil both before and since the club hired Caserio and Culley to join embattled club EVP Jack Easterby, highlighted by Watson's trade request. Culley insisted, however, that the transition has been positive.
"It has been tremendous for me," the 65-year-old first-time head coach said. "The transition has been so good simply because of those two guys. Here is the thing: Nick is the general manager. Nick handles all personnel matters. He handles everything that has to do with personnel on this football team. He and I have conversations about what's going on. We're always consulting every day about what's going on. I'm the head coach. Jack is the vice president of football operations, which is a magnitude of things. He handles scheduling; he handles everything to do in this building. He handles our player engagement ... he handles a multitude of jobs. And with those two guys, me and between those two guys, my transition has been nothing but excellent. And I feel so comfortable knowing that on the left and on the right, I have those two guys. ... I couldn't be more happy to be in the situation I'm in right now because of those two guys."
