Report: Patriots likely to learn Spygate 2 punishment within 2 weeks

The New England Patriots have a rough timeline for when they’ll learn their punishment for Spygate 2, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The NFL is likely to make it’s decision on discipline within the next two weeks while awaiting the final security reports, per Schefter.

The Patriots admitted to videotaping the Cincinnati Bengals’ sideline from the press box in Week 14 in a game against the Cleveland Browns. The team said in a statement that the videographer was working for the team’s website on a video feature and violated the NFL’s rules unknowingly. He was not working with or for the Patriots’ football operation, per the team’s statement. Patriots coach Bill Belichick has denied any involvement in the videotaping.

Patriots are expected to be disciplined for acknowledged gameday video violations in Cincinnati, per league sources. Discipline likely to come in the next two weeks, but not all security reports back to NFL yet.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2020

A basis for Pats’ discipline.

Former Cleveland GM Ray Farmer was suspended four games without pay and Browns fined $250K for in-game texting.

ATL loses 5th-round pick, Falcons fined $350k, President Rich McKay suspended from competition committee for piping in crowd noise.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2020

The NFL will surely have a difficult time making a decision upon the punishment. To this point, the league has made no connection between the Patriots football operation and the Patriots.com video team, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. If the league doesn’t, it may weigh the Patriots’ history of scandals in laying down a more substantial punishment.