Bill Belichick on Jimmy Garoppolo, Patriots' QB plan: 'I'm not a doctor'

A prominent New England Patriots player is injured. His availability for a game on a shortened week is in doubt.

Reporters asked head coach Bill Belichick questions about it Tuesday morning in a pre-practice press conference, and – as expected – he provided short and opaque answers in a sometimes-tense session.

“I’m a football coach,” Belichick said. “I’m not a doctor. The medical staff is the medical staff. I coach the team. The medical people handle the injuries. They don’t call plays. I don’t do surgery. We have a great deal there. Works out good.”

The injured player is quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, whose right, throwing shoulder was slammed into the turf in a Sunday victory against the Miami Dolphins, forcing him out of the game.

And now with the Houston Texans traveling to New England for a Thursday night game, multiple reports have indicated that third-string rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett is likely to start.

But any clarity on the issue was never provided Tuesday.

This is a Belichick standard.

He rarely reveals any injury information, likely to maintain any possible competitive advantage over that week’s opponent. So it was no surprise to see Belichick dance around questions of Garoppolo’s availability.

“Today we’ll go out and see how it is today and we’ll file the injury report after practice based on how it goes today,” Belichick said when asked if it was possible Garoppolo could suit up Thursday. “I don’t know.”

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He later added that “everyone’s here” when asked specifically if Garoppolo would be at Tuesday’s practice. Garoppolo was not present for the open portion of practice, according to the Boston Herald, but the Patriots listed him as limited in their participation report.

“I do what’s best for the football team,” Belichick repeated. “Let me put it a different way: I’m a coach. I do what’s best for the football team. I don’t know why we can’t understand that.”

Garoppolo has played very well while he temporarily replaces starter Tom Brady, who continues to serve his four-game Deflategate suspension. In one and a half games, Garoppolo has completed 70% of his passes for 498 yards and has added four touchdowns with no interceptions.

Brissett, while playing in relief for Garoppolo on Sunday against Miami, completed six of nine passes for 92 yards.

“Based on what’s in the best interest of the football team, the player’s personal situation, his health always comes first,” Belichick said. “That’s what always comes first. That’s not a football decision, that’s a medical decision. Football decisions are based on what's best for the football team. That’s what we’ve always done around here that’s what we’ll always do as long as I’m here. That will never change. We will always do what’s best for the football team. That’s what it’s all driven by.”

Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes.

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