Robert Kraft dismissed suggestions that the New England Patriots could consider trading Bill Belichick this offseason.

“When you’re lucky enough to have someone exceptional, you let them do their job and you get out of the way.”

Kraft called the report that he and Belichick met for half a day during the season about Jimmy Garoppolo “a total fabrication and fiction. I am telling you, it’s fiction.”

Seth Wickersham, reached Saturday morning, said, “I absolutely stand by my story.”