The Patriots will host the Tennessee Titans on Saturday in what could possibly be 42-year-old quarterback Tom Brady’s final home game at Gillette Stadium. Both Brady and coach Bill Belichick sidestepped questions from the media about the future this week, insisting that the team is laser-focused on the Wild Card round. A loss in Week 17 against the Dolphins cost the Patriots a first-round bye, and the team is playing on the first weekend of the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2009.
Patriots fans will be hoping that they don’t have to turn their attention toward the 2020 NFL Draft until a long playoff run potentially ends in February, but the team could have its draft plans unwillingly altered in the coming weeks, as the NFL is expected to discipline the Patriots over the organization’s latest Spygate scandal, per multiple reports.
The league has been investigating the club’s actions after a team videographer was caught taping the Cincinnati Bengals’ sideline for an extended period the week before the Patriots played the Bengals. The Patriots claimed that the film was being used for a documentary video, and that the football side of the team had nothing to do with the operation. According to a report from the Washington Post earlier this week, the league did not find evidence to link coach Bill Belichick or other Patriots coaches to the video.
On Saturday, hours before the Patriots’ playoff opener, Adam Schefter reported that the NFL is expected to discipline the Patriots this month. Schefter said on ESPN that it’s possible that the Patriots could forfeit a draft pick, in addition to paying what is likely to be a hefty fine.
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
Sources: The #Patriots did, in fact, commit a game-day violation and they are expected to be disciplined for taping the #Bengals sidelines.. What’s not clear is if there is a link back to football operations, as not all security reports are back to the NFL offices.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 4, 2020
[opinary poll=”should-the-patriots-lose-a-2020-draft-pi” customer=”forthewin”]
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