The New England Patriots are expected to be disciplined for gameday video violations after a team video crew was caught filming the Cincinnati Bengals sideline during a game last month, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Punishment is expected to be handed down in the next two weeks, Schefter says.
A three-person video crew working for the Patriots was caught filming the Bengals sideline in early December. The team said in a statement at the time that the video was for a web series titled “Do Your Job” as part of a feature on the scouting department and admitted it was “inappropriately filmed the field from the press box.” The filming took place “without specific knowledge of league rules,” the statement said.
The team also said that while it was granted credentials for the crew from the Cleveland Browns, the home team, “our failure to inform the Bengals and the League was an unintended oversight.” When confronted, the team said the crew “immediately turned over all footage to the league and co-operated fully.”
Patriots coach Bill Belichick said at the time that neither he nor his coaching staff had watched any video footage shot by the in-house production team.
Footage of the video shot by the Patriots crew was aired on television by Fox Sports on Dec. 15. The Patriots producer who can be heard in the video below was reportedly suspended by the team.
The Patriots were fined $250,000 and docked a first-round draft pick in 2007 for violating NFL rules against using video to steal signals. Belichick was fined $500,000.
— With files from The Associated Press
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