Pats fined $1.1M, lose pick for filming game last season

The NFL fined the New England Patriots $1.1 million and took away a third-round pick in the 2021 draft among the punishments for their television crew's filming the field and sideline during a December 8 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

First came the report the team was signing free-agent quarterback Cam Newton.

The Patriots had not issued a statement as of Monday morning about the penalties, though a spokesperson confirmed to ESPN that the team would not appeal.

The Patriots beat the Bengals 34-13 during Week 15 during the 2019 season.

A three-person Patriots crew was spotted filming the Bengals' sideline from the press box during Cincinnati's Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns, a violation of league rules.

The Patriots did not deny their film crew shot the video, but said the crew was there as part of a team website series entitled, "Do Your Job", for posting on the team's website.

When confronted, the team said the crew "immediately turned over all footage to the league and cooperated fully". Under the guise of filming a documentary, a Patriots crew filmed the Bengals from the FirstEnergy press box, a major violation of National Football League rules. Mondillo was suspended by the Patriots during the NFL's investigation and was sacked by New England before the league's discipline.

"I can tell you we, as a coaching staff and I personally, have never used any video footage at all of anything those production people have done, other than what's shown on public television or something like that", Belichick said in December. Brady was suspended four games.