Report: Bill Belichick, Eric Mangini Nearly Got into Fistfight in 2008 over Spygate

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and then-New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini nearly got into a fistfight during the fallout from the Spygate scandal in 2008, according to a new book.

It's Better to Be Feared was written by ESPN's Seth Wickersham and is set to be published Oct. 12. In the book, Wickersham explores the inner workings of the Patriots' dynasty from 2001 to 2019.

Per ESPN, the book details an altercation between Belichick and Mangini at the 2008 league meetings. Belichick reportedly ignored Mangini's wife, Julie, saying hello, which led to Mangini charging across the room and needing to be held back while he yelled, "Hey Bill, f--k you!"

Mangini, who previously coached under Belichick, was the one who alerted the league about the Patriots illegally videotaping the Jets' defensive signals during a 2007 game.

Before serving as head coach of the Jets from 2006 to 2008 and then the Cleveland Browns from 2009 to 2010, Mangini was an assistant under Belichick with the Patriots from 2000 to 2005.

He was initially a defensive backs coach before becoming the defensive coordinator in 2005, after which the Jets poached him from their AFC East rival.

Mangini informed NFL security of what the Patriots were doing during the 2007 game, although he later expressed regret for saying anything, noting in 2012 that he had "no intent to get the league involved."

As a result of Mangini blowing the on the Patriots' illegal videotaping, Belichick was fined $500,000 and the Pats were fined $250,000 and stripped of their 2008 first-round pick.

The Patriots had already won three Super Bowls under Belichick, and they went on to win three more in the wake of Spygate.

Meanwhile, Mangini was fired by the Jets after he went 23-25 with one playoff appearance in three seasons, and he was later fired by the Browns after going 10-22 in two seasons.

Mangini later served as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers from 2013 to 2015, but he has been out of the league since then.

Meanwhile, Belichick is in the midst of his 22nd season as head coach of the Patriots and is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer by virtue of his six Super Bowl wins as a head coach and 245-94 record in New England.