FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn't hold his usual postgame news conference because he was visiting with the team's athletic trainers and medical staff, and later downplayed his absence as "nothing serious" and "just a little thing to look at."
"It's no big deal, I don't want to get into it," Belichick said as reporters gathered around a speakerphone for the call about 75 minutes after the Patriots' 17-9 loss to the Bills in the season finale.
Asked if the athletic trainers said he is OK, Belichick responded: "I'll be all right."
Belichick acknowledged that his visit to athletic trainers was specific to his own health, not related to anything with players. He apologized to media members for the delay before answering questions about the game.
On a related note, Belichick said it is his understanding that the Patriots will learn the date and time of their divisional-round playoff game later Sunday.