More sneaky sneaky by the Cheatriots?
Much has been made of the Patriots’ mysterious “Pink Stripes.” How about yellow ones?
— Ryan Paganetti (@RyanPaganetti) September 2, 2026
I went through more than a decade of TV broadcasts and uncovered a diabolically clever piece of Patriots gamesmanship.
When opposing kickers lined up at Gillette Stadium, the video board… pic.twitter.com/Y5nf0F5vm6
I was just reading about this & was going to post it.
Patriots devised perfect way to mess with opposing field-goal kickers
Football fans with end zone seats have tried over the years to come up with ways to distract a kicker who is attempting a field goal. The Patriots apparently devised something far more effective than a sign with an arrow pointing left or right.
Ryan Paganetti, an analytics expert who has worked for the Eagles, Jaguars, and Raiders, has spotted a tactic that he has dubbed “diabolically clever.”
When opposing teams prepare to attempt a field goal, the video board shows a reverse view of the formation, with the goal posts in the image creating four distinct yellow lines for the kicker to see.
When wind is an issue, the flags fly one way on the actual goalpost, and they move in the opposite direction on the two goalposts in the image on the board behind the target.
Paganetti says he watched “more than a decade” of TV broadcasts of Patriots home games. He saw “dozens” of examples of the optical illusion being employed for field-goal tries by the visiting teams. For 52 Patriots field-goal attempts he saw, the image never appeared in the video board the kicker was facing.
LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN
The most iconic field goal miss of that era, sending the Patriots to the Super Bowl. Look at the video board at 1:07! pic.twitter.com/AqHySkGbfq
— Ryan Paganetti (@RyanPaganetti) September 2, 2026
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
badgervike wrote:
The screen posts were to the other side from that view.
It's amazing at how many different ways they have been found to cheat the game, there was just no end to it. Think of them and the Houston Astros and have to wonder how many other teams cheated their way to titles.
JR44 wrote:
It's amazing at how many different ways they have been found to cheat the game, there was just no end to it. Think of them and the Houston Astros and have to wonder how many other teams cheated their way to titles.
One in particular comes to mind....
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
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