Official NFL press release

[DenverBound]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11/27/10
BRONCOS DISCLOSE VIOLATION OF INTEGRITY-OF-GAME POLICY
BRONCOS FINED $50,000 FOR VIOLATION
HEAD COACH JOSH MCDANIELS FINED $50,000 FOR FAILING TO REPORT
PROHIBITED VIDEOTAPING OF OPPOSING TEAM PRACTICE
The Denver Broncos discovered and disclosed to the NFL a violation by a club employee of the league’s
integrity-of-the-game policy involving the improper videotaping of a six-minute portion of the San Francisco
49ers’ October 30 practice at Wembley Stadium in London the day prior to the Broncos-49ers game there, the
Broncos and NFL announced today.
Team video director Steve Scarnecchia took the video and presented it that day to head coach Josh
McDaniels, who declined to view it, the investigation by the Broncos and NFL has determined. However, as a
result of failing to report the incident as required by league policy, McDaniels has been fined $50,000 by
Commissioner Roger Goodell.
The Broncos also have been fined $50,000 by Commissioner Goodell because clubs are ultimately
accountable for the actions of their employees.
The Broncos have terminated Scarnecchia’s employment for cause. In addition, Commissioner Goodell has
notified Scarnecchia that, as a repeat violator of league rules relating to the integrity of the game, he will be the
subject of a hearing to determine whether he should be barred from the NFL for conduct detrimental to the
league under the commissioner’s disciplinary authority in the NFL Constitution and Bylaws.
The investigation found that Broncos executives were made aware of the apparent improper videotaping on
November 8 following the team’s return from London.
After conducting an internal review, team executives contacted the NFL office on November 12 and requested
a meeting to report the apparent violation. On the morning of November 16, Broncos executives, including
owner Pat Bowlen, met with NFL staff in New York to disclose Mr. Scarnecchia’s actions.
Based on the report, NFL Security promptly began an investigation, which included interviews of Broncos
personnel in Denver on November 18 and 19. In addition, they arranged for a forensic analysis of the laptop
computers used by the video department, which confirmed that the Saturday practice had been recorded. NFL
Security has retained the tape.
Following are excerpts from Commissioner Goodell’s letter to Broncos owner Pat Bowlen:

· “The investigation was conducted with the full cooperation and support of the Denver Broncos. Your
entire organization has fully responded to our requests for information and access to individuals, and
provided exemplary assistance to our investigators.

· “The investigation disclosed that on October 30, the day before the Broncos played the 49ers in
London, Steve Scarnecchia, Denver’s video director, was present in Wembley Stadium. He was
properly at the stadium, along with players, coaches and other club staff, to prepare for the October 31
game. During this time, the Broncos conducted their final walk-thru. After the Denver players and
most of the other team staff left Wembley, Mr. Scarnecchia remained behind to continue setting up his
equipment for the next day. At one point he noticed that the 49ers were conducting their walk-thru
practice, and he surreptitiously recorded a portion (approximately six minutes in length) of that practice.

· “When he was interviewed by NFL Security, Mr. Scarnecchia admitted that he had recorded the
practice. He maintained that he had not previously recorded a walk-thru or other practice or engaged in
any other improper videotaping (such as recording coaching signals of an opposing team) since joining
the Broncos; that he knew that what he did in London was wrong; that taping the walk-thru was his
decision alone; and that nobody had instructed him to record the practice.

· “Mr. Scarnecchia also stated that while he offered to show the tape to head Coach McDaniels, the
coach had no interest in the material and did not in fact watch the tape. He said that Coach McDaniels
responded to his offer by saying, “No, I’m not doing that,” at which point Mr. Scarnecchia left. He also
said that he did not show the tape to any other member of the coaching staff, and our interviews do not
disclose that any member of the coaching or football staff viewed the recording.

· “Our investigators immediately and independently interviewed Coach McDaniels and did so under
circumstances that would have made it impossible for him to have spoken to Mr. Scarnecchia in
advance. (It is also significant that your staff had not previously discussed the matter with Coach
McDaniels; thus, his meeting with NFL Security was the first time that he had been questioned on the
matter.) Coach McDaniels recounted essentially the same sequence of events as Mr. Scarnnechia had
previously disclosed – namely, that Mr. Scarnecchia had come to him and advised that he had
recorded the walk-thru, and that Coach McDaniels told Mr. Scarnecchia that he was not interested in
watching the tape and did not do so.

· “Based on our investigation, we have found no evidence to suggest that Coach McDaniels or any other
member of the coaching staff watched the tape. Nor have we identified any evidence to suggest that
any member of the coaching staff or club management directed Mr. Scarnecchia to record the practice.
We are aware of no evidence that would indicate the recording of any other opposing team practices or
walk-thrus, or the like. And there is no reason to believe that the improper videotaping in London had
any competitive effect on the October 31 game between the Broncos and 49ers.

· “There is no question, as you and your executives recognized, that Mr. Scarnecchia’s actions are
prohibited by league rules. Even Mr. Scarnecchia acknowledged this. You initially placed Mr.
Scarnecchia on administrative leave and have advised me that he now has been discharged for cause.

· “Although I find no fault with the way the club handled this matter once you and your executives
became aware of it, I nonetheless believe that some penalty must be imposed. We have no more
important responsibility than preserving the integrity and competitive fairness of the game and avoiding
any implication that games are decided by anything other than what takes place on the field. In the
only prior case of improper videotaping, the penalties included fines on the club and the head coach, as
well as loss of a first round draft pick. For many reasons, there is no basis here to consider discipline at
anywhere close to those levels: this appears to be a single incident by an employee who acted entirely
on his own; there was no competitive effect; and, most importantly, the Broncos promptly took the
initiative to report the violation. Had any of those factors not been present, I would have almost certainly
imposed much more substantial discipline on the club. But because clubs are ultimately accountable
for the conduct of their employees, I have determined that a sanction on the club is appropriate, and
have therefore imposed a fine on the Broncos of $50,000.

· “With respect to Coach McDaniels, I have reached the conclusion that disciplinary action is appropriate
for him as well. While he apparently declined to look at the tape, I also believe that he should have
immediately advised you or one of your senior executives when he learned what Mr. Scarnecchia had
done. The coach’s failure to do so is inconsistent with the Policy on Integrity of the Game, which
imposes an obligation on executives, head coaches and others with knowledge of violations to report
them promptly. Because Coach McDaniels failed to do so, I have decided to impose a fine on him of
$50,000. I have also, as you know, personally discussed this matter with Coach McDaniels, and have
emphasized his critical role in fostering and maintaining a culture of integrity within the football
organization. I believe that he now understands his responsibilities in this respect, and am hopeful that
he will live up to those responsibilities in the future.

· “As part of an effort to confirm that that the violations do not extend beyond Mr. Scarnecchia’s actions
in London, a significant number of club employees have signed a certification confirming that they are
aware of no further violations of the Policy. The signatories include you, Joe Ellis, Rich Slivka, Coach
McDaniels and his staff, and the remaining members of the club’s video staff. Although we believe that
our investigation has thoroughly addressed the matter, I should also add that if further information
comes to our attention, we will reopen the investigation and, if the facts warrant, will impose additional
discipline as appropriate.

[broncos-rock]

Am I the only one that is not bothered by this? Is it a distraction? Yes, but I honestly don't care!

[DenverBound]

It seems so many people around here are trying to use this situation for their anti-McD agenda. This press release is the facts. The facts that the NFL and Mr. Goodell came up with. The facts say, McD had nothing to do with this and did nothing wrong.

[ColoradoDarin]

Originally Posted by broncos-rock

Am I the only one that is not bothered by this? Is it a distraction? Yes, but I honestly don't care!

As long as we didn't lose picks, yup. Don't care.

[thecool]

Pretty much, McDaniels is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. He didn't look at the tape... and at the time he thought the best way to move forward was to just forget the situation.

We all know what he should have done, however the reality of the situation is not that simple. Most of us have jobs, and some of us have jobs with strong relationships. And let's be real, dirty **** happens all over America, the world, throughout all corporations.

If McDaniels simply is just fined and in trouble for not telling, I personally don't care. And the fact that McDaniels didn't look at the tape shows his true integrity. Through my time, I've known some of the most honest human beings. Some who would not tell a lie if his life depended on it. However they would never tell on anyone. They would be asked by higher authority to answer questions, forcing them to tell...but they wouldn't. Is it right? Who knows, maybe it depends on the situation, but it's real.

The Broncos fan base is very sensitive. Like high school girls.

If McDaniels told, he would be damned anyways by the fans for being a snitch with Napoleon characteristics.

This is an unfortunate situation for McDaniels and the Broncos...however a few wins should hopefully have this thing roll over.

Let's not act like Shanahan doesn't pull similar tactics off by allowing his players to skip practice off bull**** and cater to his star players. Considering Shanahan's loyalty, I'm pretty damn sure he would never tell on anyone either.

[NYBronco]

Let's play football!

This article should be saved and be convenient for reference in the future to remind everyone the facts of this incident.

[frerottenextelway]

Reading it, it looks okay for the Broncos organization, but still looks bad for Coach McDaniels who hired this character and didn't report him.

[DBroncos4life]

Why didn't McD fire the guy for cheating?

[Missouribronc]

Can we get a link, or a confirmation that this actually came from the league?

[frerottenextelway]

Originally Posted by DenverBound

....The facts say, McD had nothing to do with this and did nothing wrong.

The report says he got fined for doing something wrong. The report does make Pat look really good though.

[Captain 'Dre]

I don't think it's a big deal, except to say that there hasn't been ANY good news coming out of Dove Valley in six months.

Just what we need...

[Requiem]

Look guys,

All we were trying to do was win a mother****ing game!

[gunns]

Originally Posted by DenverBound

It seems so many people around here are trying to use this situation for their anti-McD agenda. This press release is the facts. The facts that the NFL and Mr. Goodell came up with. The facts say, McD had nothing to do with this and did nothing wrong.

Did nothing wrong? While I believe he did not view the tape (because we lost like little b****es) being fined $50,000 does not mean you did nothing wrong. Read the one paragraph. He now understands

[bombquixote]

Fairly obvious at this point the Broncos didn't gain a competitive edge.

[Homer Simpson]

Originally Posted by broncos-rock

Am I the only one that is not bothered by this? Is it a distraction? Yes, but I honestly don't care!

Personally I don't. It's done. Storm in a teacup. Now go four and two and I'll be willing to give you another year.

[DenverBound]

Originally Posted by Missouribronc

Can we get a link, or a confirmation that this actually came from the league?

http://www.denverbroncos.com/assets/...nver-Video.pdf

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by Captain 'Dre

I don't think it's a big deal, except to say that there hasn't been ANY good news coming out of Dove Valley in six months.

Just what we need...

Teeeeeeeeeeebow!

[strafen]

Originally Posted by thecool

Pretty much, McDaniels is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. He didn't look at the tape... and at the time he thought the best way to move forward was to just forget the situation.

We all know what he should have done, however the reality of the situation is not that simple. Most of us have jobs, and some of us have jobs with strong relationships. And let's be real, dirty **** happens all over America, the world, throughout all corporations.

If McDaniels simply is just fined and in trouble for not telling, I personally don't care. And the fact that McDaniels didn't look at the tape shows his true integrity. Through my time, I've known some of the most honest human beings. Some who would not tell a lie if his life depended on it. However they would never tell on anyone. They would be asked by higher authority to answer questions, forcing them to tell...but they wouldn't. Is it right? Who knows, maybe it depends on the situation, but it's real.

The Broncos fan base is very sensitive. Like high school girls.

If McDaniels told, he would be damned anyways by the fans for being a snitch with Napoleon characteristics.

This is an unfortunate situation for McDaniels and the Broncos...however a few wins should hopefully have this thing roll over.

Let's not act like Shanahan doesn't pull similar tactics off by allowing his players to skip practice off bull**** and cater to his star players. Considering Shanahan's loyalty, I'm pretty damn sure he would never tell on anyone either.

Yup, it's all Shanahan's fault.
Anytime McDaniels ****s up, let's bring Shanahan into the mix just to justify how appropiate McDaniels actions were...

[Popps]

Originally Posted by NYBronco

Let's play football!

This article should be saved and be convenient for reference in the future to remind everyone the facts of this incident.

You're kidding, right? You think facts are going to get in the way of people's opinions around here?

It's a black mark for McDaniels. To me, probably the most significant.

That said, it is what it is. He can rectify everything by building a winning football team. Hopefully that starts tomorrow.

[Popps]

Originally Posted by Missouribronc

Can we get a link, or a confirmation that this actually came from the league?

What, you think he drew that up himself? Just had some spare time after dinner?

[Wes Mantooth]

I am now on board. He needs to go. Total BS that he did not view the tape. In addition, we lost the freakin' game!

[broncswin]

Good to hear...glad McD didn't do anything stupid there...I still am not confident in his head coaching abilities...the guy has to start proving himself on the field and bring positives to this organization quickly.

[go_broncos]

He didn't report that it happened..We got fined for 50k for that dumb fellow.
Some one reported that to Ellis.Otherwise, we would not have known.
I am not surprised that Mcd lovers supporting him.

Hopefully, he gets fired after this season.
Bowlen..Please hire a real coach and not fake people that pose as head coaches.

[strafen]

I thought he was bringing in the Patriots way, as in winning superbowls, not their way of cheating
The fact that McDaniels hired this guy immediately after he got the HC job with Denver got to make you suspicious.
Why did he need to hire somebody he trusted and was familiar with to be his director of video operations?
I think we found out the answer today, didn't we?

[Boobs McGee]

I kind of picture the whole situation unfolding like this....
camera guy thought he'd score some brownie points with the coach, but McD wasn't down with it. In fact he probably said a little something more than "no, I'm not doing that". It was PROBABLY more like, what the **** do you think you're doing you stupid a-hole? Didn't you learn your lesson in NE you dumb ****? Now get that **** out of my sight and NEVER bring it up again. At which point in time, he assumed that they were the only two who knew about it, and he was going to try and work past it.

That's what I would HOPE happened, but unfortunately, as it stands now, the cat is out of the bag and he should have been the one to say something.

I dunno, I'm a McD supporter (hope he turns this ship around, and we start winning), but things like this that shouldn't even BE a distraction ARE a distraction, and that's what's most disconcerting to me.

Lets just go kick the **** out of the Rams and forget about this crap.