From the Associated Press
Last update: 29.06.20 7:53 a.m.
The NFL has punished the New England Patriots for a second time for spying
The New England Patriots were fined $ 1.1 million by the NFL for inappropriately filming the Cincinnati Bengals sideline during a game last season.
The league also removed a selection for the third round in the 2021 draft and prohibited the team’s production team from filming games in the 2020 season.
The shooting took place on December 8 last year at the Bengals game in Cleveland. The Bengals hosted the patriots the following week and lost 34-13.
When taping became known last season, the team said at the time that a three-person crew producing a web series titled “Do Your Job” was inappropriately stating the field as part of a contribution in the scouting department filmed the press box.
The shooting took place without any particular knowledge of the league rules, according to a statement.
The team’s statement added that the failure to inform the Bengals and the League was an unintentional oversight, despite being granted ID for the Browns crew.
Tom Brady was in controversy during his time with the Patriots and was banned from playing four games for his role in the “Deflategate” scandal
During the confrontation, the team said that the crew immediately handed over all the footage to the league and cooperated fully.
At the time, patriot trainer Bill Belichick said neither he nor his coaching staff had watched the video footage.
“Personally, I have never seen video footage, nothing that these production people have done except what is shown on public television or something,” Belichick said in December.
New England had previously been fined $ 250,000 and lost a first round draft pick in 2007 for violating NFL rules for using videos to steal signals in a scandal called Spygate. Belichick was also fined $ 500,000.
Spygate fueled suspicion of the patriots that continued when the team was accused of illegally deflating the soccer balls used in the 2015 AFC championship game.
Quarterback Tom Brady was suspended for four games, and the team was fined $ 1 million and coupled another draft pick in the first round.
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