Rex Ryan took a page out of Bill Belichick’s book. Then, the Buffalo Bills head coach took a red pen and made some embellishments.
The Patriots are known for keeping information close to the vest, and they do their best to keep a lid on many of the goings-on at practices open to the media. But apparently, the Bills’ new media policy on practice reporting is even more strict than the Patriots’ policy.
Here is what the Bills are not allowing the Buffalo media to report, per ESPN’s Mike Rodak:
— Reports (which also include radio reports, tweets, podcasts and blogs) pertaining to strategic and tactical information are strictly prohibited. This includes:
— Referencing plays run or game strategy, including trick plays or unusual formations.
— Reporting on personnel groupings, sub-packages, players who are practicing with individual units (first team, second team, goal line, offense, nickel defense, etc.), special plays, who is rushing the passer, dropped passes, interceptions, QB completion percentage, etc.
— Media should not report on any injury situation occurring during a practice that is not open to the public with detailed speculation to the potential nature, severity of the injury or level of practice participation. Acknowledging an injury occurred is permitted, but anything beyond a general report would be purely speculative and possibly inaccurate.
— Still and television photographers are not permitted to shoot or film injured players at a closed practice, even during the period that is open to the media. Filming of injured players rehabbing either before, during or after closed practices is prohibited.
For comparison, here is the Patriots’ media policy for practice reporting:
1. Please do not report on strategy. This includes describing formations, personnel groups, first-team/second-team groupings, positions and non-conventional plays.
2. Live streaming of media availability of open practices and other team activities on club premises are subject to the NFL non-game content policy and may not be broadcast live by an individual or media outlet.
3. Please do not quote, paraphrase or report the comments made by coaches or players during a practice session.
4. For practice sessions during training camp that are open to the public — tweeting, blogging, etc. of events, such as VIP visitors to practice and exceptional plays by individual players, etc. is allowed.
5. Please do not report on players who line up in positions different from the one listed on the roster.
If the Bills media isn’t allowed to report on dropped passes, interceptions, QB completions percentage or “etc.,” there’s really not much of a point in them attending those sessions. The Patriots’ media policy is vague, but it at least allows reporters to add some context behind their practice observations.
Some reporters — and at least one player — had some fun with the Bills’ restrictions.
A quarterback just threw a pass and the football landed in the hands of an offensive player at today's Bills OTA practice.
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) May 24, 2016
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
