Patriots Admit Violating NFL Rules by Videotaping Scout at Browns-Bengals Game

After a day of controversy surrounding the New England Patriots and (yet again) their alleged taping of the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend, the world finally has the beginnings of explanation.

According to the Patriots via an official statement, what appeared to be some more unexplained shenanigans came about as a result of a lack of communication between the NFL and the Patriots video production team.

Statement from the New England Patriots. pic.twitter.com/rhXdwVvnr8
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 10, 2019

The Patriots run a regular web series entitled "Do Your Job" on their website. The premise of the series is to follow various Patriots employees and filming them on the job.

For the Browns-Bengals game, the Patriots had a pro personnel scout working in the press box prepared to scout the Bengals, whom the Patriots happen to be playing next week. For one episode of their "Do Your Job" series, they wanted to film the scout as he worked and analyzed the Bengals.

While they received permission from the hosting Browns to film the game, they did not inform the Bengals -- nor the NFL. In their statement, they acknowledge violating league rules in this regard, but squarely place the blame on the video team, walling off anyone and everyone on the football staff and front office.

Patriots’ advance scout was not filming but being filmed, per a league source. He was being filmed for a feature the team produced called, "Do Your Job." The video crew was credentialed by the Browns to shoot video in the press box and their PR person was aware, per the source
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 9, 2019

How did they managed to oversee that, especially with their "Spygate" history? Even if their intentions were harmless, the Patriots could technically be penalized for violating NFL statutes even if there was no malicious intent at play.

The Patriots would have been massively likely to beat the Bengals even without a single shred of footage with which to prepare. This, in so many ways, was an avoidable error. At the very least, it's good to see them taking responsibility.