Report: Patriots lose 2 OTAs for violating NFL offseason rules
It's unclear why the Patriots lost both practices, specifically this spring
The New England Patriots have lost two days of organized team activities this spring due to a violation of the NFL’s offseason rules, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
The team canceled Thursday’s OTA, which was going to be the first attended by reporters this spring, unexpectedly Wednesday. A second OTA next week was also taken away.
It’s unclear what rule the Patriots broke specifically. They will not practice May 30 and will instead resume OTAs next Wednesday. The team has six more practices before three-day mandatory minicamp starts June 12.
The Patriots had 10 OTAs on their schedule this offseason. The practices, which are voluntary and do not allow any contact, are monitored by the NFL Players Association for possible rules violations.
There have been several other teams penalized for OTA violations in recent years, specifically when it comes to the non-contact rule. The Dallas Cowboys lost practices in 2021 and 2022 for violating that rule. The league fined Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy $100,000 and took away a 2023 OTA practice as a result, too.
The Chicago Bears had to cancel a practice last summer for the same reason. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks, among others, have faced similar penalties in the past few years.
The Patriots went 8-9 in 2022-23, missing the playoffs for just the second time in the past 14 seasons. Legendary coach Bill Belichick will enter his 24th season with the franchise this fall.
