sometimes even involving the refs' headsets. And sometimes even when the Pats weren't playing.

This is a non story.

In fact, the NFL’s own Gameday Policy Manual states:

Home clubs are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the coaching staff communications infrastructure.

It further explains that the visiting coaches on the sideline may use their own headsets, but those used by visiting coaches in the coaches’ booth are supplied by the home team.

http://deadspin.com/what-exactly-happened-with-the-steelers-headsets-1730005682?hipra_discussion_redesign=off&utm_expid=66866090-52.r5txldOmRkqnbJxnyozIeA.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fgawker.com%2F

Read the whole article - Cheaters gotta cheat some how!

I tend to trust ESPN over whatever that source is.

But clearly it must be cheating. After all their kicker missed two fields goals in a row, the patriots must be moving the goal posts!!!1!

Also your own link is saying the NFL is in charge of headsets!

They have been caught MULTIPLE times cheating

Sorry, it's hard to take anything the Patriots or their silly fans say when it comes to their cheating

It has happened in that stadium MULTIPLE times.

They cheat. Good for them. They get away with it all the time.

And clearly it has never happened elsewhere... Except that picking up rogue signals is common. Which is what your article says. Which is actually what several coaches and analysts have said.

But clearly they must be cheating.

Yesterday on the issue. Oh wait, that statement is IN the article you linked to. Did YOU read the whole article?

However, haters gonna hate no matter what...The Pats complained about it too, although that doesn't fit in with the storyline the haters are promoting.

I'd say Goodell was pissed about the Brady ruling and tried to make the Patriots look like they did something. Still a conspiracy theory, and I'm not inclined to believe it, but at least that theory isn't known to be false.

I will say he loses any respect he had left by not showing up at the game as is tradition.

They're gonna cheat, and they don't even care to make it sneaky anymore.

Who makes the determination when to turn off headsets. Are you suggesting the pats were told to do that and continued with the headsets anyway, or are you suggesting that it's the coach's responsibility to know when the other team is having issues and to just do it on their own?

by the end of the first quarter, so if the NFL executive making the call gets up from his seat and walks to the Pats sideline, we're probably talking about 10 minutes, which probably means they fixed the issues in the time it took to inform the Patriots, and someone took some very creative liberties with the wording. As far as your "equity rule" argument goes, I'm sure you quickly recognized that for the turd it was.

Also, the Pats play well in the rain and at night. Did you notice at yesterday's game it was both dark AND rainy? FUCKING CHEATERS!!!

On edit, sorry, I didn't see that this quote came from the guy who writes for the Steelers official team website, so you know it must be accurate and unbiased.

Cheaters.

The "truth" in this case is that a headset system provided by the nfl had issues for about 10 minutes during yesterday's game, both teams claim to have had these issues and was fixed before the end of the first quarter.

An NFL spokesman had this to say:
"In the first quarter of tonight’s game, the Pittsburgh coaches experienced interference in their headsets caused by a stadium power infrastructure issue, which was exacerbated by the inclement weather. The coaches’ communications equipment, including the headsets, is provided by the NFL for both clubs use on game day. Once the power issue was addressed, the equipment functioned properly with no additional issues."

And this even seems to be at odds with their own official policy, so this must mean the NFL is covering up for the Patriots yet again, like that deflated football story from last years AFC championship game that just sort of disappeared and the NFL never followed up on.

Or not.

Too many question marks for the Pats organization. Too many documented incidents of cheating. Deal with it - ANYTIME something happens, the first instinct will be to blame your team of cheaters. And for good reason.

BTW, the equipment is PROVIDED by the NFL but the home team sets up the visiting coaches' system. Isn't that WEIRD?!?

There's no evidence of anything here, but you don't like the Pats, so you choose to believe the worst thing you can imagine is true.

Yes, I get it that the Pats will be accused anytime anything feels a little fishy, but it's not the same as suggesting they're guilty of cheating anytime someone doesn't like the way things turned out...

Since headset communications problems are unique to the Patriots home games, though, you might be on to something.

Home team sets up the visiting team's radios.

Conveniently goes away when the home team is told they need to take off their headsets.

Cheaters.

The problem was found in the first quarter, and was fixed before the end of the first quarter (according to the NFL). How many times did the nfl official go to the pats sidelines to tell them to turn off their headsets only to have it working? It couldn't have been very often given the timeframe. If it happened only once then you have no argument at all, as it was an issue that got fixed BEFORE the official even got there. I note the article made no mention of how many times this occurred. When you find a problem and people start working on it, it isn't "conveniently" fixed... it's just fixed.

By the way, the patriots reported issues with their own headsets, but I'm sure you don't believe that's true.

Everyone just "hates 'em cause they ain't em." Spygate didn't happen. Stealing playsheets didn't happen. Balls deflated under standard pressure didn't happen. Your team is just way more awesomer and better than anyone elses, and of course this is a direct reflection on you being more awesomer too. So happy for you that your team has all those championships*.

You mean facts?

You mentioned, yeah, it's a textbook strawman, but you already knew that.

It's happened to other teams in other areas of the country.

It's amusing.

Awesome feeling isn't it when EVERYONE hates your team.

The NFL is responsible for this equipment, not the teams...say it enough and it might finally stick.

Go Blue Jays!

And they still couldn't find Gronk...3 times?

You probably shouldn't be laughing.

The report is that the Steelers were getting the local radio station that was broadcasting the game. That's very different than getting the Patriots' play calls.

It was the Patriots Radio Network.

Listened to sports radio all morning and the more I hear about this the more it stinks.

and ignore all the cheating that has gone on. Even Will Pitt walked away from it!

Too bad forkboy isn't around anymore.

Stepping out in front of kick returner running down the sideline?

The Steelers needed coach to coach communications in the first half to direct their defense to cover Gronk?

The pats headsets were shut off by the NFL... Who controls the devices... Until the problem was solved. Both teams played in radio silence for a few minutes.

Every Time the refs would walk up to the Pat's the Steelers headphones would begin to work. When they'd walk away they stopped working.