Fansided

Steelers’ website takes shot at Patriots over headset issues

By Mike Dyce

Sep 21, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Pittsburgh Steelers helmet rest on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. The Steelers won 37-19. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 21, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Pittsburgh Steelers helmet rest on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. The Steelers won 37-19. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Pittsburgh Steelers levied some big accusations towards the New England Patriots on their website.

It starting to seem like no considerable amount of time can go by without the New England Patriots finding themselves embroiled in a cheating scandal. Quarterback Tom Brady wins his appeal and has his Deflategate suspension lifted, then all of the sudden the Patriots find themselves in the center of new Spygate-era accusations of stealing and interfering with communications.

Then, during the season opener between the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium, it happened. The Steelers headsets were getting the Patriots’ radio broadcast and the coaches couldn’t communicate to one another.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was furious, saying it is always a problem in New England. The Steelers website took it a step further saying the problem miraculously fixed itself when NFL representative went to shut down the Patriots headsets, and then resumed when the NFL representative left New England’s side line.

Bob Labriola wrote the following on the Steelers’ website in a game recap:

"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."

Now this is a serious accusation in a world of already serious accusations. If that behavior of interference vanishing only when New England’s headsets were going to be off, then returning when the Patriots were in the clear, is true, it certainly suggests foul play.

But could the Patriots really be that stupid and brazen after all the other allegations swirling around?

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