Report: Patriots lose two days of OTAs for violating offseason rules

New England Patriots Practice
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The Patriots were docked two days of organized team activities for a violation of offseason rules, Mike Reiss of ESPN reports.

The specifics of the violation are unclear, and it also remains to be seen whether that is the team’s only penalty.

The Patriots called off Thursday’s practice earlier in the day, presumably after receiving word of the penalty, and they will lose another day next week.

Teams are allowed a total of 10 OTAs, but no live contact is permitted as part of Article 21 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The NFL Management Council disciplined the Cowboys last offseason for violating rules governing offseason work. They lost a day of OTAs for 2023 as a result of OTA practices in 2022 that were considered too physical, and coach Mike McCarthy was fined $100,000.

The Bears also were sanctioned in 2022.

In 2021, the Cowboys, 49ers and Jaguars were found in violation.

106 responses to “Report: Patriots lose two days of OTAs for violating offseason rules

  1. Rodgers asked to be traded to the Patriots in-time to miss them.

  2. In this crazy world we live in, it’s comforting to see that some things never change.

  3. Harbaugh said he wanted all his players at volunteer workouts, where is The penalty for the Ravens?

  4. Practice has been made too soft. That’s one reason there are so many injuries, no one’s properly prepared for the season.

  5. Will their cheating never end? First it was 2015, and now in 2023 they cheated again!!!

    The league should just terminate that franchise.

    Lol.

  6. I bet it was for that weeklong forced practice of how to perform laterals properly.

  7. This should be fun….let the faux rage & crying begin!!!
    Can’t wait to read the comments here, should be a ton considering it’s the Patriots….3,2,1….

  8. Great, now they have an excuse for that 4th place finish.

    I bet Belichek wishes Bledsoe never got hurt.

  9. Everybody was doing it. This is just Roger Goodell singling out the Patriots. He has to slow them down somehow.

  10. I really don’t know if the Bills will win a Super Bowl. But I do know that this article will get an astounding # of comments.

  11. Some wuss complained to the league about OTAs being too tough.. now we know the Patriots arent winning the Super Bowl.

  12. I wonder is coaches and/or players weigh the pros and cons here. Actually get a good practice in and give up two useless ones. If anyone was going to bend thus rule its Belichick.

  13. wow..i specifically remember a certain individual on this site who had alot to say about other teams that this happened to. guess his beloved pats and godly BB arent as high and mighty as he thinks

  14. Absolutely amazing how cheating is ingrained in the Patriots organization.

  15. I don’t believe it. I just don’t. It’ll be Goodell up to his old tricks, BB playing 3D chess etc.

  16. What a bizarre process of oversight. A league that denies the cause and extent of CTE, has a very weak disability plan for ex-players and that allowed Tua to stay on the field when even millions of viewers knew he was suddenly from a head injury is micro regulating OTAs.

    Who observes? Who investigates? Who decides to effectively keep any associated records under seal? And who sets the penalties handed down.

    Who benefits from players losing two days of OTAs?

  17. Patriots violating the rules. Noooo. How is Mac going to practice his bush league tackles?

  18. justmymeaninglessopinion says:
    May 25, 2023 at 6:15 am
    wow..i specifically remember a certain individual on this site who had alot to say about other teams that this happened to. guess his beloved pats and godly BB arent as high and mighty as he thinks

    ———-

    Lmao. I wanna see how he spins this. You really can’t make this stuff up!

  19. Still cheating even when they dont have a chance, I like it… Moxy right there

  20. doctorrumack says:
    May 24, 2023 at 10:37 pm
    Harbaugh said he wanted all his players at volunteer workouts, where is The penalty for the Ravens?

    ————-

    Read what he said. Wanted is not forcing. Pats fans sure like to dismiss things when it’s your team. The ravens were caught being too physical and every pats fan went on the thread to call them cheaters. Now it’s nothing. Lol.

  21. Honestly. You all believe as I do that teams should be using the best technology and minds (cryptanalysts) available to decipher an opponent’s signals. It’s called “intelligence.” We have already enhanced our war metaphors by giving an advantage to teams that are superior economically (cap management)

  22. They lost a day of OTAs for 2023 as a result of OTA practices in 2022 that were considered too physical,
    ____________________________________

    If the policy is no live contact, how can there be jusgment calls on “too much”? Clear as mud in the field. Typical.

  23. tigerlilac says:
    May 25, 2023 at 8:04 am
    What a bizarre process of oversight. A league that denies the cause and extent of CTE, has a very weak disability plan for ex-players and that allowed Tua to stay on the field when even millions of viewers knew he was suddenly from a head injury is micro regulating OTAs.

    Who observes? Who investigates? Who decides to effectively keep any associated records under seal? And who sets the penalties handed down.

    Who benefits from players losing two days of OTAs?

    123Rate This

    ——————

    Exactly. Why don’t we ever get details? The Ravens had multiple hlemets and pads so it was an obvious violation.

    It’s suspicious that there is no reason. As per usual. My guess is it’s made up since Bill O’Brien is key to the offense this year.

    The NFLPA reviews practice tape and it could be revenge for the way NE voted on the recent “safety” rule changes. I knew it wouldn’t take long.

  24. Fanboys are mostly silent….not defending just happy they are still cheating?

  25. Jimmypinthe416 says:
    May 25, 2023 at 9:06 am
    doctorrumack says:
    May 24, 2023 at 10:37 pm
    Harbaugh said he wanted all his players at volunteer workouts, where is The penalty for the Ravens?

    ————-

    Read what he said. Wanted is not forcing. Pats fans sure like to dismiss things when it’s your team. The ravens were caught being too physical and every pats fan went on the thread to call them cheaters. Now it’s nothing. Lol.

    43Rate

    —————-

    It’s because it was multiple times. Not to mention, they had 2 guys using multiple green dot helmets. Clear attempt to cheat.

    Goodell can’t even cite what this violation is. So far, if’s “too physical” which again, sounds made up and arbitrary.

    Get if?

    You people have awful memories and comprhension issues.

  26. doctorrumack says:
    May 24, 2023 at 10:37 pm
    Harbaugh said he wanted all his players at volunteer workouts, where is The penalty for the Ravens?——-lol..but the ravens..but harbaugh said..lmao..are you trying to sound stupid or does it come natural

  27. It had nothing to do with the league u dopes, it was an NFLPA rules violation for physical contact. Now if u can explain how one practices to play football without any physical contact, I’m all ears.
    Add to all the haters, multiple teams have had this happen to them ALL before the Patriots, but oh boo hoo it was the Patriots. Cry me a river ya babies.

  28. The pats have never cheated. They’re always innocent. Every other team is guilty.

  29. wintercoates87 says:
    May 25, 2023 at 9:56 am
    It had nothing to do with the league u dopes, it was an NFLPA rules violation for physical contact. Now if u can explain how one practices to play football without any physical contact, I’m all ears.
    Add to all the haters, multiple teams have had this happen to them ALL before the Patriots, but oh boo hoo it was the Patriots. Cry me a river ya babies.

    60Rate This

    ———————

    You can 100% bank on Goodell signing off on the NFLPAs “findings”.

    Just because Goodell tells the public something, doesn’t mean it’s true.

    Someone thinking something is “too physical” while playing football ain’t passing the sniff test.

    Until the league comes forward and specifically cites a violation, “too physical” during football activity sounds completely made up and arbitrary which is par for the course for the NFL, whether the union has the lead or not.

  30. Ha Ha. Four other teams busted for the same thing last year and everybody thinks it’s only the Patriots. You still need two hands to count our banners baby!!

  31. When you catch the same team cheating repeatedly maybe you should get tough on the penalty. Like Fine the coach and the owner half a mil each. Got your attention now???

  32. dublindemonszfl says:
    May 25, 2023 at 10:11 am
    When you catch the same team cheating repeatedly maybe you should get tough on the penalty. Like Fine the coach and the owner half a mil each. Got your attention now???

    01Rate This

    ——————-

    Do you feel similarly with Baltimore?

    Or Seattle? The reason why Goodell does this is because he knows your sports enjoyment was destroyed for 20 years by NE.

    Even when they lost, the majority of your seasons were miserable.

    lol

  33. Greatest dynasties of all time:

    1.49ers

    2.Steelers

    3.Cowboys

    4.Packers

    5.*Patriots

  34. If all you believe they’re cheating should they be stripped of a first round pick and 10 million dollars like Delfategate. Sounds like everyone here believes they’re cheating.

  35. williamshatnerstoupee says:
    May 24, 2023 at 11:27 pm

    Everybody was doing it. This is just Roger Goodell singling out the Patriots. He has to slow them down somehow.
    ———————————————————————————–
    These days the best way to slow down the Patriots is to let them take the field on game day.

  36. I always find it amusing when Pats fans get triggered by people trolling their team. It seems they completely miss the fact that a certain group of Pats fans troll other teams nonstop and that’s why they get taunted like this. In fact a particularly classless Pats fan frequently posts “LOL” on articles about injuries to players on other teams.

  37. I’m no fan of BB, he is morally bankrupt cheater with few peers but in this case, its much ado about nothing or more specifically, some snowflake players ratted out their team because of a relatively minor rule infraction.

    So much for building team morale, imagine sitting in that lockerroom trying to figure out who the rat is?

  38. Lol…. All this outrage over a meeting being posted internally allowing it to be “PERCEIVED” as mandatory as opposed to voluntary…. THATS the big “CHEATING” violation…. PRICELESS!!!

  39. The child is full of denials, excuses, and faux bluster. BB is squarely on that hotseat. This being his final year in New England, he’s going all out.

  40. “Per a source with knowledge of the situation, it was a meeting violation. According to the source, an observer from the NFL Players Association believed that one of the optional early offseason meetings was a violation, because the 15-minute meeting in question (a special-teams session) was made visible on the internal schedule.”

    Seriously? They put an optional meeting on the internal schedule, therefore cheating? Bloody hell.

  41. In fact a particularly classless Pats fan frequently posts “LOL” on articles about injuries to players on other teams.
    _______________
    He thinks everyone’s life has been destroyed by the Patriots. This is going to be the worst season of his life. Last place and nobody worshiping Belichick as he’s headed out the door.

  42. It’s truly comical how hypocritical cheatriot fans are. If this exact article said Colts instead of patriots, it would be 90% patriot fans slamming Irsay and the team and demanding draft picks be docked etc, yet when it is their team, as it usually is, they make every excuse known to mankind and still accuse other teams if doing worse. It’s unreal. Have fun watching your other lame Boston team get knocked out of the playoffs tonight or Saturday. That bruins collapse is still hilarious too hahahaha. The curse of Tom Brady will haunt your city for eternity. You will never win another championship again

  43. Okay this one was funny 😂

    ———–

    billshistorian says:
    May 25, 2023 at 8:11 am

    Patriots violating the rules. Noooo. How is Mac going to practice his bush league tackles?

  44. I always find it amusing when Pats fans get triggered by people trolling their team. It seems they completely miss the fact that a certain group of Pats fans troll other teams nonstop and that’s why they get taunted like this. In fact a particularly classless Pats fan frequently posts “LOL” on articles about injuries to players on other teams.
    ==========

    You’ve won the internet today.

  45. No surprises here.
    The sky is blue, the grass is green, water is wet, and the Patriots can’t follow the rules.

  46. thurmanmerman1 says:
    May 25, 2023 at 11:52 am
    It’s truly comical how hypocritical cheatriot fans are. If this exact article said Colts instead of patriots, it would be 90% patriot fans slamming Irsay and the team and demanding draft picks be docked etc, yet when it is their team, as it usually is, they make every excuse known to mankind and still accuse other teams if doing worse. It’s unreal. Have fun watching your other lame Boston team get knocked out of the playoffs tonight or Saturday. That bruins collapse is still hilarious too hahahaha. The curse of Tom Brady will haunt your city for eternity. You will never win another championship again
    ========
    Or … it could be a mass of Patriots fans claiming any punishment should be commensurate for typical OTA violations. There are plenty of Patriots fans acknowledging the failure to comply. It’s the punishment that seems extraordinary … as usual. Instead the entire football community has to deal with camera location, slightly deflated footballs and optional meetings treated as egregious crimes when they are anything but.

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