Mike Pettine, the Cleveland Browns new head coach and former New York Jets defensive coordinator, said that the New England Patriots may have had Jets defensive playbooks.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Monday Morning Quarterback, Pettine said that his playbook will be small, on purpose.
“I don’t put a lot of graduate-level information in it,” he said. We known in places like New England, it’s only a matter of time that they somehow mysteriously end up with our playbook.”
He was referring to a story he heard in which Tom Brady told Jets outside linebackers coach the Mike Smith that the Patriots might be in possession of some playbooks, while at Wes Welker’s wedding. Smith was Welker’s roommate while in college.
Both Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan had similar responses when asked about the playbooks.
Belichick on if he ever had a copy of the #Jets playbook: "You've got to talk to Mike Pettine. I don't know."
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) June 19, 2014
Ryan responded by saying “I don’t understand what he’s trying to gain by it…Everyone needs to talk to Mike Pettine ‘cause he’s got all the answers,
NFL.com reports.
Ryan added that he doesn’t think there has been an unfair advantage when the Jets have played the Patriots.
Pettine is a former high school head coach in Pennsylvania. He has also been the Baltimore Ravens outside linebackers’ coach and most recently was the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator in 2013.