Patriots’ footage of Bengals’ sideline aired on TV
Tedy Bruschi questions the Patriots, saying the organization wasn’t thinking when it decided to have a camera videotape the Bengals’ sideline for a feature story. (1:23)
Footage of the Cincinnati Bengals‘ sideline shot last week by a freelance videographer hired by the New England Patriots, which prompted an NFL investigation, was aired Sunday by Fox Sports.
In the video, which appeared to be shot by Bengals security, a member of the team’s security can be heard questioning the Patriots’ full-time producer as the camera can be seen showing a tight shot of the Bengals’ sideline.
The Patriots have acknowledged that their production crew inappropriately filmed the field and sideline during the Bengals’ Dec. 8 game against the Cleveland Browns and accepted full responsibility. The crew was credentialed by the Browns to shoot video for a Patriots web series called “Do Your Job” on an advance scout for the team, but the Patriots did not inform the Bengals or the NFL, which they called “an unintended oversight.”
In the video that aired Sunday, the Bengals security member, while watching what was filmed, asked whether the footage was shot for a piece profiling an advance scout. When told yes, Bengals security said: “Come on, guys! I don’t see the advance scout in this footage.”
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The Patriots employee responded they were “trying to get some field perspective. That’s my bad.” Bengals security then pointed out the shot was of the Bengals’ sideline and “not the field,” and the Patriots employee offered to delete the footage. He said he didn’t know he wasn’t allowed to shoot the sideline and apologized.
Bengals security asked, “How did you not know” that filming the sideline was not allowed? The Patriots employee responded, “But I can delete this right here for you.” The Bengals security member then laughed and said, “The damage is done, my friend.”
The video ended with the Patriots employee again offering to delete the footage and saying that once it’s deleted, “there’s no way I can get that footage back.”
The Boston Globe reported Sunday that the Patriots suspended the producer on site for the video shoot. A source told ESPN’s Mike Reiss that the employee has not been at the Patriots’ facilities all week but would not confirm he has been suspended.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday at the league meetings in Irving, Texas, that the NFL will not make any judgments until the completion of an investigation.
In 2007, the Patriots were fined $250,000 and lost a first-round draft pick for violating NFL rules against using video to steal the New York Jets‘ signals in a scandal dubbed Spygate. Belichick was also fined $500,000.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss contributed to this report.