Belichick denies knowing about video
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick says neither he nor his coaching staff has watched any video footage shot by an in-house production team at the center of an NFL investigation for inappropriately filming the Cincinnati Bengals’ sideline at a recent game.
Belichick said during a conference call Tuesday he was not involved and had no knowledge of what took place during Sunday’s Bengals Browns game in Cleveland. Belichick said he wasn’t informed of it until Monday afternoon.
“I personally have never viewed any video footage at all, anything that those production people have done, other than what’s shown on public television or something like that,” Belichick said.
In a statement posted on Twitter and the team website Monday night, the Patriots said a three-person crew producing a web series titled “Do Your Job” “inappropriately filmed the field from the press box” as part of a feature on the scouting department. The filming took place “without specific knowledge of league rules,” the statement said.
An NFL spokesman declined to comment.
The Patriots’ statement said that while they were granted credentials for the crew from the Browns, “our failure to inform the Bengals and the league was an unintended oversight.” When confronted, the team said the crew “immediately turned over all footage to the league and cooperated fully.”
New England was fined $250,000 and lost a first-round 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. That fueled a distrust of the Patriots that persisted when the team was accused of illegally deflating the footballs used in the 2015 AFC title game.
The Patriots (10-3) visit the Bengals (1-12) on Sunday.
Jackson expects to play Thursday
The Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is 23 yards shy of breaking Michael Vick’s single-season record for yards rushing by a quarterback (1,039 in 2006).
Although Jackson is practicing this week with a sore quadriceps, his motivation to play Thursday against the New York Jets has nothing to do with personal glory.
“I’m planning to win the game,” Jackson said Tuesday. “If I’ve got to be out there all four quarters, that’s what it’s going to be.”
Jackson was struck in the leg Sunday while throwing a 61-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hayden Hurst ,a key play in a 24-17 victory over Buffalo that put the Ravens (11-2) on track to finish with the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed.
That hit in the pocket did nothing to slow Jackson’s sprint to the end zone to share the occasion with Hurst.
“I was celebrating. It was 100% worth it,” Jackson said.
Salary cap should be rising again
The NFL salary cap for 2020 is projected to be in the range of $196.8 million to $201.2 million, making it likely for the cap to have an increase of at least $10 million for the seventh consecutive year.
The 2019 salary cap is at $188.2 million. If the cap tops $200 million for the first time, it will have grown by roughly 40% since 2015, when it was at $143.3 million.
The updated salary cap figure is released when free agency opens along with the official new league year each March. The cap was $120.4 million in the first year of the labor deal in 2011.
Etc.
Philadelphia receiver Alshon Jeffery will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury, according to multiple reports . ... New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur said Daniel Jones will return as the starting quarterback once his sprained right ankle heals. The coach has not considered giving Eli Manning a final start at home this weekend against Miami or in theseason finale Dec. 29 against Philadelphia. Shurmur wants to see how Jones looks Wednesday before considering whether to use the rookie against the Dolphins on Sunday. If Jones is not ready, Manning starts . ... Washington Redskins cornerback Simeon Thomas has been suspended four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The Redskins are sidelining injured running back Derrius Guice for the rest of the season . ... San Francisco put receiver Marquise Goodwin on injured reserve.