Chase Winovich joked about seeing Bill Belichick after making a play vs. Patriots in preseason opener
"He was showing a lot of emotion."
Former Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich returned to Gillette Stadium on Thursday as a member of the Texans.
The 28-year-old pass rusher enjoyed his return, recording two tackles and a pair of quarterback hits as Houston won 20-9. The exclamation point on his night was getting a sack.
Though he was traded from the Patriots in 2022, the 2019 New England third-round pick relished the experience.
“It was very cool being back here,” Winovich told reporters. “It was very nostalgic, just the bus ride coming up from Providence getting closer and seeing a lot of these sites that were super familiar to me.”
“It’s all love, I’ve learned a lot about my life and myself and football through my time here with all the coaching staff,” he added. “There’s some of my teammates that are still obviously playing for the Patriots, some of which are on the Texans with me now. It felt great being back here, it felt better getting a sack. Just keep on pushing now, it’s like what’s next.”
Winovich is currently listed fourth on Houston’s depth chart. Still, his playmaking in Thursday’s game could help him move up.
“I didn’t run into coach Belichick, unfortunately,” Winovich said of his old coach. “But I saw him after the sack.”
“He was showing a lot of emotion,” Winovich claimed of Belichick before adding that he was (clearly) joking.
The former Michigan Wolverine was placed on injured reserve by the Browns in 2022 with a hamstring issue, and he’s encountered his share of injuries.
Having signed with the Texans during the offseason, Winovich said the challenges he’s faced have given him a greater perspective.
“I’ve dealt with the greatest stretch of injuries, It’s pretty common knowledge,” he said. “Somebody told me this once — injuries are about recovery but they’re also about discovery. I learned about myself in the process, and just really having to dig deep.
The prospect of playing his former team served as useful (preseason) motivation.
“Having this Patriots game being the first preseason game, gave me a lot of inspiration to say, ‘Hey listen, I don’t care what we need to do or how many hours we need to spend in this rehab place. I need to get back out there and prepare for this game.'”
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