Just as they signed Cam Newton the New England Patriots were slapped with a $1.1 million fine from the NFL, along with losing a 2021 third-round draft pick, for their television crew filming the field and sideline during a December 8th game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Furthermore, the Patriots television production crews will no longer be allowed to shoot any games during the 2020 season, and Pats’ senior club officials will undergo required training on league operation and game policies.
The league also brought the hammer down on David Mondillo, who was previously terminated by the Patriots.
“The sole purpose of the filming was to provide an illustration of an advance scout at work on the road,” the Patriots said in a statement issued at the time. “There was no intention of using footage for any other purpose.”
The team’s film crew was credentialed by the Browns to shoot video for a Patriots web series entitled “Do Your Job,” but the Patriots did not inform the Bengals or the NFL, calling it an “unintended oversight.”
Given their past, which included the “SpyGate” scandal, it was easy to draw conclusions and raise suspicions on what the team was really up to.
A Patriots spokesperson confirmed the team won’t contest the penalties.
