5. Bill Belichick faced penalties for recording critics.
2007 is the Year of Fine.
Total Estimated Fine: $50000*
The New England Patriots were discovered filming the New York Jets’ sidelines during the opening game of the 2007 season—an incident that is now well recognized in the sports world as “Spygate.” Naturally, this is against the NFL’s rules of conduct and should have resulted in more than a punishment.
Bill Belichick was fined for recording critics’ voices
First, for his role in planning the play-steeling debacle, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000, and the team was penalized $250,000. For the league, however, three-quarters of a million dollars was insufficient. To further punish the Patriots and teach them the price of morality, they also lost their 2008 first-round draft selection.