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May 15, 2008

NFL statement on Daboll

During his interview with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday, former Patriots employee Matt Walsh confirmed that he did not tape the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI, but mentioned that he did talk to then-New England assistant Brian Daboll about what he saw during the walkthrough.

On Wednesday, the NFL interviewed Daboll, now the Jets' quarterbacks coach, again. He was first interviewed earlier this year, after the Feb. 2 Boston Herald story which said the walkthrough was taped by a member of the Pats' staff.

Today, the league released this statement:

"Our security department re-interviewed Brian Daboll on Wednesday and he has no recollection of a conversation with Matt Walsh about the Rams’ walk-through practice. Even if such a conversation occurred, it would not be a violation of NFL rules. Matt Walsh was authorized to be in the stadium to perform his job duties along with other members of the Patriots’ video department, members of the Rams’ video department, and other people preparing for the Super Bowl. Mr. Walsh told the commissioner that he was wearing Patriots’ attire at the time and did not conduct himself in a clandestine manner. He said that he saw Rams employees while he was there and also was on the sidelines. He stated clearly to the commissioner that nobody from the Patriots requested or directed him to observe or report on the Rams’ walk-through."

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 8:12 PM | Permalink