5 astonishing NFL scandals you may not know about
For as long as the NFL has been in existence, there have always been cases of scandals and breaking the rules. While some, such as Bountygate, Deflategate, and Spygate, made headline news and became the major topics in sports at the time, others disappeared only to be minimally discussed in NFL circles. Here are five scandals that are lesser-known in league history.
Lesser-known scandals from NFL history
#1 - New York Jets caught filming New England Patriots
In 2006, the Jets were caught filming the Patriots during a game in Foxboro. The Jets claimed they had permission from the Patriots, who denied ever granting it. The incident was reported to the league office, which ruled that the Jets didn't break any rules and were instead filming legal coaching footage.
#2 - Miami Dolphins stole Tom Brady's audibles
The Dolphins reportedly purchased game film on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots before a game during the 2006 NFL season. Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas claims he learned all about Tom Brady's audibles and used them to recognize adjustments during the game. The league ruled that the Dolphins' study was fair play and broke no official rules at the time.
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#3 - Kansas City Chiefs knew the San Francisco 49ers playbook
Tony Dungy admits that when he was coaching the Chiefs, he once knew the entire 49ers offensive playbook for Bill Walsh before a game in 1991. He claims Steve DeBerg, who used to back-up Joe Montana, memorized it during his time with the 49ers, and they never changed it. The claim has been debated, but no official evidence has proven otherwise.
#4 - New York Jets owner Woody Johnson tampers with Darrelle Revis
Darrelle Revis spent the first part of his career with the New York Jets. After leaving to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots, he was set to become an NFL free agent after the 2015 NFL season.
While Revis was still under contract, Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a press conference that he would love to have him back with the team. The Jets eventually signed Revis to a new contract, but the organization was fined $100,000 for tampering with a player under contract with a different NFL team.
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#5 - Pittsburgh Steelers doctor convicted for steroid distribution
Dr. Richard Rydze spent nearly 20 years as a team doctor for the Pittsburgh Steelers until his release from the team in 2007. He was accused of intentionally misdiagnosing players to prescribe them illegal substances, including HGH and steroids.
Rydze was found guilty of 180 counts of conspiracy in 2018 and sentenced to ten years in prison. The Rooney family, who own the Steelers, claim they had nothing to do with the scandal and that the organization never approved the doctor to do what he did.