Patriots mum on tampering charge

Oct 1, 2008 - 6:57 PM FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday declined to address a tampering charge against the franchise by Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis.

Davis claimed Tuesday that the Patriots were guilty of tampering with Randy Moss before acquiring the standout wide receiver in a draft-day trade in 2007.

"I think we will just concentrate on the 49ers," Belichick said of the Patriots' upcoming opponent. "I know there was a lot of stuff going on yesterday but we are just focused on San Francisco."

At a press conference to explain the firing of coach Lane Kiffin on Tuesday, Davis leveled the tampering charge as he blamed Kiffin for wanting to get rid of Moss.

"That guy in Green Bay thought (Moss) couldn't run any more. Even Denver, where they'll take anybody, turned him down," Davis said. "But what's his name knew he could run, he's a friend of Belichick's. (Ex-Raiders employee) Mike Lombardi.

"Mike sold what's his name, Belichick, on the idea that he could run. They tampered with him. I remember (Patriots owner) Bob Kraft saying that he had to look him in the eye and all that. They went down and worked him out, he could run. He's their team, of course, with the quarterback."

Moss enjoyed a record-setting first season with New England, hauling in 23 touchdown passes. He also had no response to the tampering charge.

"No, not at all," he said.