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Aikman thinks the consequences should be harsher than the suspensions handed to the Saints for Bountygate in 2012, when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell claimed ignorance was not an excuse.
“Sean Payton did not cheat,” Aikman said of the Saints coach who was suspended an entire year. “There was nothing that Sean Payton and the Saints did that was illegal. And they did not give themselves a competitive edge.
“Now twice, under Bill Belichick and possibly a third time, they’ve cheated and given themselves an advantage. To me, the punishment for the Patriots and/or Bill Belichick has to be more severe than what the punishment was for the New Orleans Saints.”
After a season filled with scandals — including Goodell’s indefensible decision to initially suspend Ray Rice two games in the former Ravens running back’s domestic violence case — Aikman thinks enormous pressure is on Goodell, especially due to his friendship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
“There’s a lot of coaches and a lot of people that look upon the Patriots as a team that’s been favored in some of the things that have happened — I thought the punishment he got for Spygate was a slap on the wrist, was next to nothing — so we’ll see,” Aikman said.
“Sean Payton did not cheat,” Aikman said of the Saints coach who was suspended an entire year. “There was nothing that Sean Payton and the Saints did that was illegal. And they did not give themselves a competitive edge.
“Now twice, under Bill Belichick and possibly a third time, they’ve cheated and given themselves an advantage. To me, the punishment for the Patriots and/or Bill Belichick has to be more severe than what the punishment was for the New Orleans Saints.”
After a season filled with scandals — including Goodell’s indefensible decision to initially suspend Ray Rice two games in the former Ravens running back’s domestic violence case — Aikman thinks enormous pressure is on Goodell, especially due to his friendship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
“There’s a lot of coaches and a lot of people that look upon the Patriots as a team that’s been favored in some of the things that have happened — I thought the punishment he got for Spygate was a slap on the wrist, was next to nothing — so we’ll see,” Aikman said.