Editing New England Patriots (section)

==Controversies==
{{See also|List of conspiracy theories#New England Patriots}}

===Snowplow Game===
{{Main|Snowplow Game}}
During a December 12, 1982, home game against the Miami Dolphins under icy conditions, the game remained scoreless until the fourth quarter when Patriots head coach [[Ron Meyer]] motioned to snowplow operator Mark Henderson to specifically clear a spot on the field for New England kicker [[John Smith (placekicker)|John Smith]] so he could kick what proved to be the game-winning 33-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 3–0 win.<ref name="w244">{{cite web | last=Buckley | first=Steve | title=A foothold on history: 25 years later, Mark Henderson still remembered for role in Pats' 'Snowplow Game' | website=Boston Herald | date=2007-12-12 | url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2007/12/12/a-foothold-on-history-25-years-later-mark-henderson-still-remembered-for-role-in-pats-snowplow-game/ | access-date=2024-07-31}}</ref> At the time, an emergency ground rule was put into play where the officials could call time-out and allow the ground crew to use a snowplow to clear the yard markers, but not plow often enough to keep the field clear. Dolphins head coach [[Don Shula]], believing it to be against the league rules, pointed out that the league's [[unfair act]] clause allowed the league to overturn it, and met with NFL commissioner [[Pete Rozelle]] several days later to formally protest the game result. Although Rozelle agreed with Shula that the use of the plow gave the Patriots an unfair advantage, he said that he had never reversed the result of a game and was not going to start doing so for any reason, including cheating.<ref>"NFL Top 10: Bad Weather Games", produced by NFL Network</ref> Henderson, a convict on work release, jokingly remarked, "What are they gonna do, throw me in jail?"<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nash |first=Bruce |url=https://archive.org/details/footballhallofsh0000nash |title=Football Hall of Shame |date=May 1, 1991 |publisher=Pocket Books |isbn=0-671-74551-4|via=Archive.org |page=[https://archive.org/details/footballhallofsh0000nash/page/32 32] |url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Grossfeld |first1=Stan |title=Brush with immortality Tractor driver cleared his way into history |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2010/01/03/brush_with_immortality/ |newspaper=Boston.com |date=January 3, 2010 |publisher=Boston Globe |access-date=June 15, 2019 |archive-date=October 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005023537/http://archive.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2010/01/03/brush_with_immortality/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The following year, the NFL banned the use of snowplows on the field during a game.<ref name="n447">{{cite web | last=Guss | first=Daniel | title=Patriots' rule-bending goes back decades, to 'snow plow' game in 1982 | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2015-02-01 | url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-patriots-scandal-20150201-story.html | access-date=2024-07-31}}</ref> The Patriots organization has commemorated the game with an exhibit at the Hall at Patriot Place within Gillette Stadium, where the plow itself hangs from the ceiling.<ref>{{cite news|last=McCarthy|first=Michael|work=[[USA Today]]|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2010/12/happy-anniversary-to-nfls-infamous-snowplow-game/1#.UqUbpqVn994|title=Happy anniversary to NFL's 'Snowplow Game'|date=December 12, 2010|access-date=October 2, 2022|archive-date=December 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205022108/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2010/12/happy-anniversary-to-nfls-infamous-snowplow-game/1#.UqUbpqVn994|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Spygate===
{{Main|Spygate (NFL)}}
During the [[2007 NFL season|2007 season]], the New England Patriots were disciplined by the league for videotaping [[New York Jets]]' defensive coaches' signals from an unauthorized location during a September 9, 2007, game.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/patriots/2007-09-12-belichick-apology_N.htm|title=Belichick apologizes for 'Videogate'|last=Pedulla|first=Tom|date=September 12, 2007|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|access-date=January 18, 2008|archive-date=February 11, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211235302/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/patriots/2007-09-12-belichick-apology_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22190391/|title=Jets play innocent, wonder 'What is 'Spygate?'|date=December 10, 2008|agency=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[MSNBC]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113034635/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22190391/|archive-date=January 13, 2008 |url-status=dead|access-date=January 18, 2008}}</ref> Videotaping opposing coaches is not illegal in the NFL ''[[de jure]]'', but there are designated areas allowed by the league to do such taping. After an investigation, the NFL fined Patriots head coach [[Bill Belichick]] $500,000 for his role in the incident, fined the Patriots $250,000, and docked the team their original first-round selection in the [[2008 NFL draft]], which would have been the 31st pick of the draft.<ref name="Ruling">{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/09/final_ruling.html|title=Final ruling|last=Reiss|first=Mike|date=September 13, 2007|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|access-date=February 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011112029/http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/09/final_ruling.html|archive-date=October 11, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Deflategate===
{{Main|Deflategate}}
During the [[2014–15 NFL playoffs#AFC: New England Patriots 45, Indianapolis Colts 7|2015 AFC Championship Game]] against the [[Indianapolis Colts]], allegations arose that the Patriots were using under-inflated footballs. It was even suggested that the Patriots' staff themselves deliberately deflated the footballs to give their team an unfair advantage during the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Rock |first1=Tom |last2=Glauber |first2=Bob |date=January 21, 2015 |title=NFL was ready to check New England Patriots' footballs against Colts, report says |url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/nfl-was-ready-to-check-new-england-patriots-footballs-against-colts-report-says-1.9829583 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515053229/http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/nfl-was-ready-to-check-new-england-patriots-footballs-against-colts-report-says-1.9829583 |archive-date=May 15, 2015 |access-date=May 6, 2015 |website=Newsday}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Silva |first=Steve |date=2015-01-21 |title=Report: Colts Raised Concerns About Under-Inflated Balls After Game vs. Patriots in Indianapolis |url=https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2015/01/21/report_patriots_may_have_deflated_footballs_for_af/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518092820/http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2015/01/report_patriots_may_have_deflated_footballs_for_af.html |archive-date=May 18, 2015 |access-date=May 6, 2015 |work=Boston.com}}</ref> A lengthy investigation and heated debate commenced shortly afterwards, with a full report being published in May 2015.<ref name="CNN1">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/22/us/nfl-patriots-deflategate-rules/|title=What the heck is Deflategate anyway?|last=McLaughlin|first=Eliott|date=January 23, 2015|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=January 23, 2015|archive-date=January 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123161650/http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/22/us/nfl-patriots-deflategate-rules/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Wells report">{{cite web|title=Investigative Report Concerning Footballs Used During The Afc Championship Game On January 18, 2015|url=https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/investigative-and-expert-reports-re-footballs-used-during-afc-championsh.pdf|author=Wells Jr., Theodore V.|publisher=National Football League|date=May 6, 2015|access-date=May 7, 2015|archive-date=November 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107035724/https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/investigative-and-expert-reports-re-footballs-used-during-afc-championsh.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The Wells Report found that balls provided by the Patriots, who were the home team, indeed had less pressure on average than the balls provided by the Colts. Also notable was the findings of some suggestions of communication between [[Tom Brady]] and two Patriots locker room attendants, indicating Brady was likely "generally aware" of the situation and that the Patriots staff intentionally deflated the footballs.<ref name = "Wells report" /> A later study by the [[American Enterprise Institute]] called the evidence and methodology of the Wells report "deeply flawed" and "unreliable".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aei.org/publication/on-wells-report/|title=On the Wells Report|work=American Enterprise Institute|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-date=February 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224110011/https://www.aei.org/publication/on-wells-report/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the aftermath of the incident, the NFL suspended Brady without pay for the first four games of the [[2015 NFL season|2015 season]], fined the Patriots $1{{nbsp}}million, and forced them to forfeit their 2016 first round draft pick and 2017 fourth round draft pick.<ref name="t071">{{cite web | last=Reiss | first=Mike | title=NFL fines Pats $1.1M, takes pick for sideline film | website=ESPN.com | date=2020-06-29 | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29380577/new-england-patriots-fined-11-million-lose-draft-pick-film-crew-fallout#:~:text=The%20NFL%20fined%20the%20New,Cincinnati%20Bengals%20and%20Cleveland%20Browns. | access-date=2024-08-30}}</ref> Brady appealed his suspension, which was eventually vacated by the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York]], only for the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] to reinstate it a year later for the [[2016 NFL season]].<ref name="espn.go.com">{{Cite web |last1=Brandt |first1=Andrew |last2=Reiss |first2=Mike |last3=Rovell |first3=Darren |date=April 25, 2016 |title=Tom Brady's four-game suspension upheld |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/15353950/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-four-game-suspension-deflategate-reinstated-appeals-court |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426150714/http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/15353950/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-four-game-suspension-deflategate-reinstated-appeals-court |archive-date=April 26, 2016 |access-date=April 25, 2016 |website=[[ESPN.com]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Brady eventually agreed to serve the suspension in 2016, but led the Patriots to win [[Super Bowl LI]] in spite of it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm |title=Super Bowl LI – New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons – February 5th, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |access-date=December 10, 2017 |archive-date=March 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331010158/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="f827">{{cite web | last=Brennan | first=Christine | title=With Patriots Super Bowl LI win, air goes out of DeflateGate | website=USA TODAY | date=2017-02-06 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2017/02/06/new-england-patriots-super-bowl-li-tom-brady-deflategate/97539666/ | access-date=2024-07-31}}</ref>

====Accusations of falsified data====

However, in February 2022, sportswriter [[Mike Florio]] revealed that the [[NFL]] falsified data about the Deflategate scandal and hid information that would have cleared the Patriots of wrongdoing. In his book ''Playmakers: How the NFL Really Works (And Doesn't)'', Florio revealed that NFL executives, specifically vice president [[Troy Vincent]], jumped to conclusions about the air pressure inside the Patriots' footballs at halftime of the AFC Championship game. He also noted that 11 of the 12 Patriot footballs used in the game were not outside the predicted range of [[Ideal gas law|Ideal Gas Law]], and the other was only slightly below.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/as-new-deflategate-details-emerge-this-remains-the-same-nfl-owes-tom-brady-an-apology-221153589.html|last=Wetzel|first=Dan|title=As new Deflategate details emerge, this remains the same: NFL owes Tom Brady an apology|website=Yahoo Sports|date=February 8, 2022|accessdate=November 15, 2024}}</ref> 

Florio also revealed that NFL general counsel Jeff Pash ordered that the records of all PSI data gathered from the 2015 season be deleted. Leaked transcripts revealed that the NFL Senior Vice President of Football Operations, Dave Gardi, used false numbers in his letter to the Patriots which stated that the team was to be investigated. It was also revealed that Vincent did not instruct anyone to record the timing of the measurements taken, the temperature in the room during testing, if the footballs tested were wet or dry, and that he did not know which of the two air pressure gauges was used to make the pregame measurements. Vincent also admitted that he and other NFL executives never heard of the [[Ideal gas law|Ideal Gas Law]] and were unaware that PSI in a football can change in certain environments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/new-deflategate-report-negative-light-on-nfl-covering-up-facts-leaking-false-information/|title=New DeflateGate Report Casts Negative Light On NFL For Covering Up Facts, Leaking False Information|last=Hurley|first=Michael|website=[[CBS News]]|date=February 6, 2022|accessdate=November 15, 2024}}</ref>