If the New England Patriots really did film other teams’ signals and steal their play sheets regularly, then Willie McGinest never saw it happen.
After ESPN released a report Tuesday claiming the cheating the Patriots were punished for in Spygate actually was widespread, the former New England linebacker appeared on NFL Network’s “Total Access.” And McGinest says the Patriots weren’t as conniving as they were made out to be.
“I have no knowledge of that,” McGinest said, per WEEI. “I heard some of the things that were in the report, and I could sit here and honestly say I was never handed a game plan from another team that we found in the other team’s locker room. We were never shown tape from any teams practicing.
“Instead of three Super Bowls, we would have had five. You give us the answers to the test then no team would have come close to beating us, especially games that we won in the Super Bowls by three points or less, tight football games. Now, if a team is stupid enough to leave their shot sheets or (game plans) in the locker room or leave their plays on the grease board — which I’m sure all teams know this goes on — then that’s their fault.”
McGinest even said the Patriots themselves took precautions to make sure other teams didn’t steal their plays or signals.
“It happens in every locker room,” McGinest said. “When we were on the road, we had a guy stay behind, pick up all of the game plans, pick up all of the playbooks that players would leave, erase all of the grease boards and stay in there to make sure nothing was picked up from the other team.”
At the end of the day, the three-time Super Bowl champion is disappointed that the reports take away from all New England accomplished in his 12 seasons there.
“You get a little fired up and you get a little angry, because you understand all of the hard work as a player and as a coaching staff and all your teammates put into those wins,” McGinest said. “… And then when you hear something, I got a lot of text messages today from former players — (safety) Rodney Harrison — a lot of guys are upset because now people are trying to take away what we worked hard for.”
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
