I follow a lot of the national NFL pudnuts on Twitter. There is pretty universal dismay toward Belichick. Some calling for him to be fired, some calling for him to be banned and of course some diehards still in denial.
The fine for tampering with a ball is $25K. From a PR perspective, this has already become larger than the actual transgression. The NFL is not a court of law, it is governed more by the court of public opinion. The NFL takes actions to protect the brand and image. As a second time cheat, it may become very difficult for Kraft to keep Belichick.
Who knows how it will turn out, but it will be entertaining.
The NFL brand and image is really in the toilet ... rapists, murderers, women beaters, child whipping, cheating.
Is the NFL ever going to change ANYTHING before they have a full-blown crisis to confront?
Another source reminded readers that the Patriots were fined in 2007 for spying on an opponent.
No team needs this kind of controversy swirling around them leading into the Super Bowl. No matter what the investigation concludes, the Patriots are going into the big game looking like cheaters in the eye of the public and this is all the press is going to be talking about in the next couple of weeks.