Patriots Rumors: OTA Penalty Stemmed from Meeting Violation; Wasn't On-Field Issue

An off-field violation led to the New England Patriots losing two days of organized team activities, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

"An observer from the NFL Players Association believed that one of the optional early offseason meetings was a violation, because the 15-minute meeting in question (a special-teams session) was made visible on the internal schedule," Florio reported.

The NFLPA argued listing the meeting on the schedule gave players the idea it was mandatory rather than optional.

ESPN's Mike Reiss reported Wednesday that the Patriots forfeited a pair of OTA days for breaking the NFL's offseason rules. They canceled Thursday's OTA along with one scheduled for next week.

Greg A. Bedard of Boston Sports Journal reported head coach Bill Belichick also received a $50,000 fine.

In the grand scheme of things, this doesn't present a significant disruption to New England's preparations for the 2023 season. Training camp is when things really kick into gear, and that isn't expected to get underway until late July.

The Patriots aren't the only team to be disciplined for an offseason rules infraction in recent years. Reiss noted the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and Houston Texans were all penalized last year alone. The Cowboys were a repeat offender.

It may not be long before another franchise is in the NFL's doghouse this summer.