Deflategate punishment a Roger Goodell "makeup call" for Spygate debacle, ESPN report says

Cristina Ledra

Deflategate punishment a Roger Goodell "makeup call" for Spygate debacle, ESPN report says image

ESPN the Magazine published an exhaustive look into allegations of widespread cheating by the Patriots and the team's relationship with Roger Goodell on Tuesday. Coinciding with interviews on the network's "Outside the Lines" program, the revelations are dominating the news cycle on the opening week of the 2015 season.

As far as commissioner Roger Goodell's response to the bombshell dropped by ESPN, he had none.

MORE: Know your 'Gates' — from Watergate to Deflategate | Mike Martz exonerated NFL in Spygate, per Goodell's request

"I have not seen this report in any way," he said on Mike & Mike Tuesday morning. "I am not aware of any connection between procedures."

The Patriots issued a statement shooting down the report:

"The New England Patriots have never filmed or recorded another team's practice or walkthrough. This type of reporting over the past 7 years has led to additional unfounded, unwarranted and quite frankly unbelievable allegations by former players, coaches and executives."

AMONG THE FINDINGS:

— Deflategate is seen by some owners as a "makeup call" over Spygate.

— From 2000 to 2007, the Patriots videotaped the signals of opposing coaches in 40 games.

— Goodell's handling of Deflategate turned around owners still simmering over Spygate; some say he is now more secure in his job.

— Two teams caught the Patriots videotaping opposing coaches' signals in 2006, but the NFL failed to act.

— Goodell told Sen. Arlen Spector that the Patriots' tapes destroyed by NFL employees went back to the 2006 season, but then confessed that the Patriots began taping in 2000 and that the destroyed notes, on mostly AFC East rivals, went back to 2002.

— Numerous allegations were sent to the he NFL's competition committee members, but none of those were investigated.

— A former Patriots assistant coach said the "system of covert videotaping" and " a secret library" had gotten "out of control."

— The Patriots had an employee, Ernie Adams, whose job it was to spend all week decoding signals on spreadsheets obtained by a scout at Patriots' future opponents' games.

— Patriots videographers were told to put tape over their team logos and say they were from Patriots TV or Kraft Productions when questioned by opposing team's security. In November 2006, the Senate investigation of Spygate said Patriots staff member Matt Estrella said he was "taping panoramic shots of the stadium."

— The Patriots would sign players recently cut by upcoming opponents and "pay them only to help decipher signals."

— The Patriots would send low-level employees into the visiting locker room to steal the play sheet, consisting of the first 20 scripted offensive calls, or into the visiting team hotel to look for playbooks and scouting reports.

— When at home, the Patriots would scramble and jam the coach-to-quarterback radio line of their opponents, and it happened so often that when a league official was told to sit in the coaches' box and wait for it to happen, it did, as expected, on a big third-down play.

— The Patriots' tactics helped them against lesser teams like the Dolphins and Bills, who never changed their signals throughout the season.

— Although many opposing coaches knew of the Patriots' methods, only Eric Mangini, Bill Belichick's former protege, changed his team's signals when he was head coach of the Jets, a team Belichick hated.

Cristina Ledra