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Patriots Respond to Allegations Made by Bengals of Improper Video Recording
December 10, 2019
The New England Patriots released a statement addressing a report they surreptitiously filmed the Cincinnati Bengals on the sideline during the Bengals' 27-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
The Patriots said they were filming for their behind-the-scenes web series Do Your Job. One installment centered on the team's scouting department and required footage from Sunday's game.
"While we sought and were granted credentialed access from the Cleveland Browns for the video crew, our failure to inform the Bengals and the League was an unintended oversight," New England said. "In addition to filming the scout, the production crew—without specific knowledge of the League rules—inappropriately filmed the field from the press box."
According to ESPN's Dianna Russini, a Bengals employee alleged a videographer had a camera following the Bengals' sideline. The videographer said he was employed by Robert Kraft.
"Sources told ESPN that the Bengals employee flagged media relations and Bengals security staff, then interviewed the Kraft videographer," the ESPN report said. "That interview was also taped. The videographer asked if the footage could just be deleted and it could all be forgotten, according to sources."
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick addressed the situation, saying in an interview on WEEI the football operations side had no involvement with the filming. Belichick added that none of his personnel has watched the raw footage from any filming for the series.
Although New England's statement lines up with Belichick's comments, some will question whether the team is being entirely forthright.
In September 2007 the NFL handed a $500,000 fine to Belichick and a $250,000 fine to the Patriots after they captured video of signals from New York Jets coaches during a game. The team ultimately forfeited its 2008 first-round draft pick as well.
The Patriots deployed the tactic well before getting caught, according to ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham. Team employees videoed the sideline signals in at least 40 games between 2000 and 2007, a fact that came to light during the Spygate inquiry.