The first game of the 2015 regular season was played at a time when the #DeflateGate controversy was still boiling -- and when ESPN only two days earlier had gone all in with a broader look at past and present cheating allegations against the Patriots. And so, when Steelers coach Mike Tomlin opted in the aftermath of a 28-21 loss at New England to suggest foul play in connection with communications issues at Gillette Stadium, it instantly became a huge deal.
“We were listening to the Patriots radio broadcast for the majority of the first half on our headsets, coach to coach,” Tomlin said, adding that it’s “always the case” that the Steelers have trouble with their in-stadium communications when they play in New England. He said that eventually the problem got fixed.
The Steelers’ official website chimed in, declaring that “[t]his is the kind of stuff that happens to the visiting team in Gillette Stadium all the time.”
It quickly became clear that communications issues happen routinely and throughout the league, making Tomlin’s effort to suggest further cheating by the Patriots seem even more over the top than it was. Four days later, Tomlin declared the matter over.
But the not-so-subtle claim of cheating still exists on the Steelers’ website. Here’s the full entry: “This is the kind of stuff that happens to the visiting team in Gillette Stadium all the time. From the start of the game through the opening 14 minutes of the first quarter, the Steelers’ coaches’ headsets were receiving the Patriots Radio Network broadcast of the game. The broadcast was so loud that the Steelers coaches were unable to communicate, and the NFL rule is that if one team’s headsets are not working the other team is supposed to be forced to take their headsets off. It’s what the NFL calls the Equity Rule. Strangely enough, whenever an NFL representative proceeded to the New England sideline to shut down their headsets, the Steelers headsets cleared. Then as the representative walked away from the New England sideline, the Steelers’ headsets again started to receive the Patriots game broadcast.”
The Steelers return to Gillette Stadium for the first time since September 2015 on Sunday, with a berth in Super Bowl LI on the line. And all eyes will be on the question of whether the Steelers will be able to properly use their ears during the game.