The NFL spy games between the New York Jets and New England Patriots began last season.
The Jets were caught videotaping at Gillette Stadium last season and the Patriots had that New York employee removed from the area, according to published reports on Wednesday. Jets coach Eric Mangini said his team received permission to film behind both end zones during the playoff game in January.
"We taped the game, is what we taped, and we taped end-zone copy of the game, and we tape a double end zone, which is standard operating procedure for us," Mangini said on Wednesday. "We request that every single road game and it's usually granted if physically it's possible. And when people request it from us, we do the same thing: We grant it."
Mangini maintained the Jets did nothing wrong and had filmed at New England during the regular season without incident. It was nothing like what the Patriots did this season, when a New England employee was caught taping New York's defensive signals and punished by the league.
When asked why the Patriots stopped the Jets in January if they had already given them permission, Mangini said: "We had asked for permission, it was granted and then that changed, and we respect their decision. It's their stadium."
Mangini was also asked if the Jets were, at all, taping the Patriots' defensive signals.
"No," he said smugly.
He was then asked if the Patriots requested similar permission to have someone taping at various angles or end-zone angles. Again, Mangini replied simply: "No."
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