Bill Belichick Reacts to Tom Brady, Dolphins Tampering Questions

How Belichick reacted to Tom Brady, Dolphins tampering questions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

On Wednesday morning, Bill Belichick spoke with the media before the seventh day of the New England Patriots' training camp. Belichick is known for his short, to-the-point answers during press conferences, so it was no surprise that he was tight-lipped when questioned about the recent news about the NFL investigation into the Miami Dolphins.

"I'm not really worried about that," Patriots head coach said. "We're just trying to have a good training camp here."

The report, released on Tuesday, revealed that the Dolphins had "impermissible communications" with quarterback Tom Brady during his final year with the Patriots in 2019 and again in 2021 when he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs face the Dolphins in their preseason opener on Aug. 13, but Brady will not play in that game. 

Why wasn't Brady punished for role in Dolphins tampering scandal?

Miami will face a series of repercussions for tampering with Brady and former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton. The Dolphins were stripped of their 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick. Miami owner Stephen Ross has been suspended and fined $1.5 million.

The penalties have the potential to affect the Patriots-Dolphins AFC rivalry for years to come, but Belichick is not worried about that. He is concerned with the present task at hand: training camp.

"I'm focused on training camp here," Belichick replied when asked if he knew about Brady's communications with the Dolphins. "That's all in the past."

It makes sense why Belichick is more concerned with the state of his current team and whether it can improve on last season's 10-7 record and early playoff exit. Belichick usually isn't one to dwell on the past, and he had no interest in doing so Wednesday.