The New England Patriots admitted to inadvertently violating league rules by video taping the field from the press box during the Browns-Bengals game in Cincinnati on Sunday in Week 14. The team released a statement on Monday to explain how the accident happened.
While working on a project for Patriots.com, New England’s content team was at the game documenting the work of an advanced scout, who was in Cleveland to watch the Bengals, the Patriots’ upcoming opponent. The Patriots.com team has released a documentary series, titled “Do Your Job,” to show the behind-the-scenes work from staffers like the scouts, the training staff and the dietitians. While documenting that scout’s day in Cleveland, the film crew accidentally broke the NFL’s rules on filming the sideline.
“In addition to filming the scout, the production crew – without specific knowledge of League rules – inappropriately filmed the field from the press box,” the Patriots said in the statement. “The sole purpose of the filming was to provide an illustration of an advance scout at work on the road. There was no intention of using the footage for any other purpose. We understand and acknowledge that our video crew, which included independent contractors who shot the video, unknowingly violated a league policy by filming the field and sideline from the press box. When questioned, the crew immediately turned over all footage to the league and cooperated fully.
“The production crew is independent of our football operation. While aware that one of the scouts was being profiled for a “Do Your Job” episode, our football staff had no other involvement whatsoever in the planning, filming or creative decisions made during the production of these features.
“We accept full responsibility for the actions of our production crew at the Browns-Bengals game.”
