Report: Patriots' camera focused on Bengals' sideline for 8 minutes
Video shot by a cameraman connected to the New England Patriots contains about eight minutes of footage of the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline, sources who've seen the tape told Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.
According to Dehner Jr., a Bengals staff member was sitting in the second row of the press box during Sunday's Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns when a videographer who works for the Patriots sat in the row ahead of him and began recording the Bengals' sideline. Cincinnati is New England's next opponent.
The camera reportedly captured a direct view of Bengals coaches making signals and Cincinnati players running on and off the field.
Another report from ESPN's Ben Baby stated that the videographer filmed the Bengals' sideline for the entire first quarter of the game.
The controversy is reminiscent of the 2007 "Spygate" saga, for which the Patriots were fined $500,000 and stripped of a first-round draft pick after they were found to have recorded opposing signals. An NFL investigation into the Patriots turned up eight tapes of game footage and notes with scouting information covering seven seasons.
The 10-3 Patriots will face the 1-12 Bengals on Sunday in Week 15.