Bill Belichick refused to discuss the New England Patriots’ videotaping controversy during his Wednesday morning news conference, saying he had nothing more to share on the matter.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor took the same approach Thursday.
Speaking on a conference call with New England reporters, Taylor repeatedly replied with a variation of, “I don’t have any comment on any of that” when asked about the NFL investigation into a member of the Patriots’ production staff filming the Bengals’ sideline from the press box during Sunday’s game in Cleveland.
Taylor was asked for his general thoughts on the situation, whether reports that the Bengals are “livid” are accurate, whether he believes the Patriots’ explanation (that the cameraman inadvertently and unintentionally violated NFL rules) and whether anyone from the New England organization has reached out to him. He offered the same response each time.
Asked why he believes it’s in his best interest not to comment on the matter, Taylor replied: “Because this is a tough opponent right now, and we’re devoting all our time to making sure we’re prepared. So that’s where all our focus has been on.”
Taylor did say he has no regrets about how the Bengals organization has handled the situation.
The Patriots have lost three of their last five games but still occupy the No. 2 spot in the AFC standings with a 10-3 record. The Bengals are 1-12 as Taylor’s first season as an NFL head coach nears its conclusion.
“They’re very disciplined,” Taylor said of the Patriots. “Obviously, as you watch their defense, a lot of those guys have been in that system for a long time. I was in that division for four years (as an assistant) in Miami from 2012 to 2015, and I feel like I’ve been playing against these guys for a while now. And in some ways, they just substitute the bodies and people. It’s the same style, and those guys play really smart and disciplined and create turnovers. They certainly create a lot of issues for you.”
Taylor said the fallout from the press box incident has not been a distraction for his team this week.
“Our team does a great job of focusing on what’s important, and part of playing in the NFL is being able to eliminate distractions,” he said. “They can come in a lot of different forms — injuries, anything that can happen off the field — and I’ve been really proud of the way that our guys have focused this week.”
