PATS

confronted, the team said the crew “immediately turned over all footage to the league and cooperated fully.”

The Patriots said the purpose of the filming was for an illustration of the work advance scouts do while on the road. The team says it accepts full responsibility for the crew’s actions.

The league, at least initially, did not seem to believe that severe sanctions against the Patriots were likely, but it was still in the early portion of its review.

Belichick told a Boston radio station Monday there was no wrongdoing by the Patriots’ football staff. He reiterated that to reporters Tuesday.

“We’re competitive and we’ll try to be competitive in every area,” Belichick told Cincinnati-area reporters in a conference call, according to ESPN. “But we don’t knowingly, intentionally want to do anything that’s across the line.”

New England was fined $250,000 and lost a firstround draft pick in 2007 for violating NFL rules against using video to steal signals in a scandal dubbed Spygate. Belichick was also fined $500,000.

Spygate fueled a distrust of the Patriots that persisted when the team was accused of illegally deflating the footballs used in the January 2015 AFC championship game.

The punishment by the NFL in that case was also severe. Quarterback Tom Brady was suspended four games, and the team was fined $1 million and docked another first-round draft pick.

The Patriots (10-3) visit the Bengals (1-12) on Sunday.