March 2017 - New England Patriots Wiretap

NFL Continues To Sanitize Super Bowl Transcripts

Jan 31, 2017 2:32 PM

Reporters asked members of the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons a number of questions about Donald Trump and Roger Goodell during Monday's media availability.

But the NFL excluded those references from transcripts they released.

Reporters were certainly curious, given the nation’s political climate and the controversy over the suspension of Tom Brady for four games as a result of the “Deflategate” scandal, in which the league said he conspired to manipulate footballs to his advantage in a conference championship game two years ago.

Brady, Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ owner, Robert K. Kraft, also happen to be friends of the president, whose actions, including his temporary ban on refugees and restrictions on immigrants from some Muslim-majority countries, have been highly controversial.

Of the transcripts provided for the interviews with 26 of the Patriots players and coaches, the word “Trump” does not appear in any of them, and the word “president” appears only in reference to team presidents, despite reporters’ having asked about them. The word “Goodell” appears once.

Brady was asked about Trump three times and Goodell four times, and he sidestepped the questions each time.

“I’m not talking politics at all,” Brady said after being asked about his relationship with the president. When asked why, he added, “I just want to focus on the positive aspects of this game and my teammates and the reasons why we’re here.”

A spokesman for the N.F.L., Brian McCarthy, said the transcripts of the one-hour media sessions, which are typically compiled by public-relations staff from the teams involved, were not intended to be a complete account of the interviews. 

The league has sanitized its Super Bowl transcripts in past years, too. Two years ago, for instance, the league’s transcript of interviews with the Seattle Seahawks’ outspoken cornerback, Richard Sherman, did not include his answers to questions about Kraft or about Goodell and his handling of the domestic violence case involving the Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice.

Benjamin Hoffman, Ken Belson/New York Times

Tags: Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots

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Reporter Accidentally Takes Kyle Shanahan's Playbook

Jan 31, 2017 8:37 AM

After Kyle Shanahan's Super Bowl media night session on Monday, the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator had his backpack accidentally taken by a reporter.

"I'm stressed out right now," Shanahan said. "Somebody took my bag, and it had everything in it."

The backpack contained a copy of the Falcons' Super Bowl playbook, Super Bowl tickets and other personal effects. It was missing for approximately 45 minutes before the mystery was solved.

USA Today writer and ESPN contributor Jarrett Bell discovered that San Francisco Examiner columnist Art Spander had mistakenly picked up Shanahan's bag instead of his own.

Dan Graziano/ESPN

Tags: Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Misc Rumor

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Dimitroff Has Implemented Some 'Patriot Way' Elements With Falcons

Jan 30, 2017 8:34 AM

Thomas Dimitroff was part of the winning culture established with the New England PAtriots, and Dimitroff has implemented some of those elements into success as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons.

Dimitroff discussed on Friday the influences from his days as the Patriots' director of college scouting (2003-2007). He was a part of back-to-back Super Bowl champions alongside coach Bill Belichick, whom Dimitroff has the utmost respect for from their time together.

"It's just been fun watching us develop here over the years, and there's definitely a Northeastern stamp on it in certain ways,'' Dimitroff said. "And yet we've really evolved into something that is very much the Falcons and not, obviously, the Patriots.''

Dimitroff was asked what were some of the "Patriot ways'' he brought to the Falcons.

"It's indisputable role understanding,'' Dimitroff said. "It's non-entitlement. It's the passion. It's the positivity for us here. And it's about making sure that, again, everyone does their job and stays in the line that they need to stay in, and they're putting their ego in check. And that's what we believe here. That's what [coach] Dan [Quinn] lives as well. We're very fortunate to have that.''

Vaughn McClure/ESPN

Tags: Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots

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Kyle Shanahan: Patriots Have Best Defense Falcons Have Seen

Jan 27, 2017 4:22 PM

Kyle Shanahan built the NFL's top-scoring offense in Atlanta this season, but says the Super Bowl will bring a challenge unlike the Falcons have seen.

The New England Patriots have the league's top scoring defense, giving up only 15.6 points per game.

"That blows my mind that people would be doing that,'' Shanahan said when asked about some of the criticism of the Patriots' unit. "It's the best defense that we've seen in the NFL this year. The numbers show it. And watch the film and you see exactly why their numbers are the way they are. They are extremely tough to score against. That's why their No. 1 in the NFL. I believe only one game this year someone scored 30 points.

"They have very good players all around: players that are interchangeable that can be pass-rushers, that can be linebackers, that can be corners, that can be safeties. And they have an extremely good scheme. So, it's by far the biggest challenge we've had this year."

Vaughn McClure/ESPN

Tags: Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Misc Rumor

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Roger Goodell Would Be Honored To Hand Lombardi Trophy To Tom Brady

Jan 25, 2017 2:33 PM

Roger Goodell has avoided attending a New England Patriots' home game since the Deflategate scandal and was asked if he would be uncomfortable handing the Super Bowl trophy to Tom Brady if they beat the Atlanta Falcons.

"Not for a second," said Goodell.

"The Patriots and Falcons have both earned the opportunity to be there. They deserve it. And whoever wins that championship is going to have to earn it, because these are great teams. And so I'm going to be thrilled. Tom Brady is one of the all-time greats. He has been for several years. He's on the precipice of at least potentially winning his fifth Super Bowl ring. He's an extraordinary player, a great performer and a surefire Hall of Famer. So it would be an honor."

Goodell chose to attend the NFC Championship Game in Atlanta this past weekend as opposed to AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium; he was in Atlanta for the divisional round as well.

Daniel Popper/New York Daily News

Tags: New England Patriots

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Arthur Blank Plans To Send All Falcons Employees To Super Bowl

Jan 24, 2017 8:07 AM

Arthur Blank plans to take all of the Atlanta Falcons' employees to Houston for the Super Bowl.

The team employs about 500 people.

"Football is the ultimate team sport and it goes way beyond the people you see on the field," president Rich McKay said. "It takes a lot of people to operate a successful NFL team and the staff works very, very hard all year round. Arthur loves the associates and one of our core values is 'Include Everyone.' He wants those who have helped our team reach the Super Bowl to have the chance to see the game live in Houston."

The owners of both the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos paid for all of their employees to go to the 2016 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif.

Michael Cunningham/Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tags: Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Misc Rumor

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Tom Brady, Matt Ryan Communicate Regularly Via Text Message

Jan 23, 2017 4:59 PM

Tom Brady and Matt Ryan, who will face off in Super Bowl LI, communicate regularly with each other.

"We've kind of kept in touch over the years," Brady said Monday during his weekly interview on WEEI. "I'm always sending him texts over the course of the season and vice versa. I have a lot of respect for Matt. I like him a lot as a person, as a player, as a leader."

Brady said he "always kind of followed [Ryan]" because he played at Boston College, which plays games 20 miles away from Gillette Stadium.

He also noted how the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons practiced against each other in 2010 training camp, which was Ryan's third NFL season.

"I got to see him up close and talk to him quite a bit," Brady said. "Matt is a classy guy and a great quarterback."

Mike Reiss/ESPN

Tags: New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Misc Rumor

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Ben Roethlisberger: Felt Like Game Was Too Big For Young Steelers

Jan 23, 2017 8:17 AM

Ben Roethlisberger believes that playoff experience may have been a problem for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

Roethlisberger has plenty of experience, but his supporting cast is relatively young.

"It just at times almost felt like it was almost too big for some of the young guys," he said.

The quarterback was asked specifically about Sammie Coates and Cobi Hamilton, who each caught just two of the five passes Roethlisberger threw their way.

"It's a little frustrating because we talk about sometimes it's just one play here, one play there and tonight we didn't make those plays," he said. "Was it too big? Was it just a, I don't know. We need to make every single play in a game like this against an opponent like this."

Michael David Smith/Pro Football Talk

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Misc Rumor

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Jonathan Kraft Takes Shot At Ryan Grigson In Wake Of His Firing

Jan 23, 2017 8:07 AM

The New England Patriots are heading to the Super Bowl yet again, but they haven't forgotten how the Deflategate saga began.

Jonathan Kraft expressed little sympathy for former Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson, who was fired on Saturday.

During Kraft's weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Sunday, he deflected a question about Grigson's firing before referring to the AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis that started Deflategate. "That game might have been Ryan's pinnacle, I don't know," Kraft said.

The Patriots beat the Colts 45-7 in the conference title game on Jan. 18, 2015.

Grigson later explained why he alerted the NFL about the Patriots' footballs, saying he wanted an even playing field. The Wells report also detailed Grigson's role in alerting the NFL via email before the AFC Championship Game.

Mike Reiss/ESPN

Tags: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Misc Rumor

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Patriots Open As 3-Point Favorites Against Falcons

Jan 24, 2017 8:11 AM

The New England Patriots are favored to win Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook opened with the Patriots as 3-point favorites over the Falcons.

The Las Vegas favorite has won 32 of 50 Super Bowls.

The total was set at 58, making it the highest over/under in Super Bowl history.

David Purdum/ESPN

Tags: New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Misc Rumor

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