New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Tuesday denied any involvement with the videographer who was caught taping the Cincinnati Bengals‘ sideline during their game against Cleveland on Sunday.
The incident was similar to the league’s findings in 2008 that led to multiple penalties in what was eventually dubbed “Spygate.” Belichick said the franchise has altered its approach since then.
“We’re competitive and we’ll try to be competitive in every area,” Belichick said during a conference call with Cincinnati media on Tuesday morning. “But we don’t knowingly, intentionally want to do anything that’s across the line.
“But since that’s happened, I’d say we’ve tried to keep a good distance behind the line and not maybe take it as far as we would might have in the past. But it’s never really fundamentally changed there.”
In 2008, Belichick was fined $500,000 and the Patriots were docked a first-round pick in that year’s draft after a team employee was caught recording unauthorized footage of the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets. A league investigation found eight tapes of game footage and written notes on scouting information accumulated over the seven previous seasons.
During Tuesday’s call, Belichick said he had “didn’t have anything at all to do with this” after the Patriots confirmed that a videographer captured the field and sideline on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium, one week before the Bengals host New England.
According to the Patriots, the advanced scout in the press box for the Bengals’ 27-19 loss to the Browns was being filmed for a series on employees that is featured on the team’s website. A Bengals team employee spotted New England’s videographer filming Cincinnati’s sideline for the entire first quarter, a source told ESPN.
During his news next conference the next day, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he believed the league was investigating the matter. In a statement released Monday evening, the Patriots said the crew immediately turned over all footage to the league, cooperated fully and takes full responsibility for the incident.
On Tuesday, Belichick declined to say if he had any contact with Cincinnati regarding the situation.
“I would say I’d keep that between us and the Bengals,” Belichick said on the teleconference.
The Patriots (10-3) have a one-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East heading into Sunday’s games. The Bengals (1-12) have the worst record in the NFL.