The New England Patriots have found themselves at the center of another bizarre controversy from the Bill Belichick era, and this time, the NFL says they did nothing wrong.
A viral revelation from former NFL analytics staffer Ryan Paganetti has exposed a strange tactic allegedly used at Gillette Stadium for years. The Patriots reportedly used their massive video board to create an optical illusion behind opposing kickers during field-goal attempts.
Paganetti said he reviewed more than a decade of Patriots broadcasts before noticing the unusual strategy.
“Much has been made of the Patriots’ mysterious ‘Pink Stripes.’ How about yellow ones?” Paganetti wrote on X.
He explained that the video board showed a reverse view of the field, creating another set of yellow goalposts directly behind the actual uprights. The result was an unusual four-post illusion that could potentially distract kickers.
