NFL Investigating: Patriots Filming Sparks Commotion In Cleveland

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Cincinnati Bengals officials said the NFL is investigating after a Patriots employee was seen in the press box during the Bengals game in Cleveland Sunday against the Browns. It was initially reported by ESPN's Dianna Russini that the league office was looking into whether the Patriots were videotaping the Bengals' play calls, but the whole commotion may have been a misunderstanding, according to NFL Networks Ian Rapoport.

Sources told Rapoport the Patriots had a crew at FirstEnergy Stadium filming a Patriots scout for the documentary "Do Your Job." The Patriots cleared this with the Browns public relations department and received credentials for the game but failed to notify the Bengals or the NFL, according to the report.

When approached by a Bengals employee, the videographer identified himself as a Robert Kraft employee. But according to ESPN, a source told Russini the Bengals employee saw a shot of the team's coaches and staff on the cameraman's monitor.

The Bengals employee flagged media relations and security, both of which interviewed the Kraft employee. According to the report, Bengals staff taped the interview and the Patriots staffer asked if the footage could just be deleted and forgotten about.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told WEEI he had nothing to do with the taping at the Bengals game and said his scouting staff know they are not allowed to point a camera at an opponent's sideline, even during pregame warm-ups.

"I heard about this and evidently this is our production people on the TV show that were there and I have absolutely nothing to do, we have absolutely nothing to do with anything that they produce or direct or shoot," Belichick told WEEI. "I have never even seen any of their tapes or anything else. This is something that we 100 percent have zero involvement with."

Bengals coach Zac Taylor spoke with reporters after the game, but wouldn't comment on the nature of the incident.

"I'm aware that there was an incident, but the league is investigating it, so I've got no comment," Taylor told reporters during his Monday conference.

The Patriots are cooperating with the NFL and turned in all the footage. The incident will bring obvious comparisons to "Spy Gate," the 2007 controversy where the Patriots were caught video taping the New York Jets play calls. The Patriots were forced to forfeit a first round pick as punishment after "Spy Gate."