Belichick: Patriots don't 'knowingly, intentionally' cross the line
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick again defended his team while speaking to Cincinnati-area media on Tuesday about the controversy surrounding a videographer who filmed the Bengals' sideline on Sunday.
The incident called to mind the "Spygate" saga of 2007, when the Patriots were disciplined after the NFL found they had illegally used video to record opponents' signals.
"We're competitive and we'll try to be competitive in every area, but we don't knowingly, intentionally want to do anything that's across the line," Belichick said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Ben Baby.
"But since ("Spygate") happened, I'd say we've tried to keep a good distance behind the line and not maybe take it as far as we would, might have in the past. But it's never really fundamentally changed there."
The Patriots released a statement Monday night, which stated that a three-person video crew was at the Bengals' Week 14 matchup with Cleveland Browns to film a New England scout while he was working in the press box. The team said the footage was meant to be used for a video series called "Do Your Job."
The Patriots admitted the crew "unknowingly" violated a league rule by filming the field and sideline, but maintained that no members of their football staff had any involvement.
A member of the Bengals - the Patriots' next opponent - noticed the videographer and believed New England was filming the Cincinnati sideline for the entire first quarter of Sunday's game, Baby reported, citing a source.
The NFL apparently confiscated the tape and is investigating the matter.