The New England Patriots signed Ezekiel Elliott in August, and just last week, they also welcomed former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier to their team. This means that they have two players who know a lot about the team they are playing with this Sunday.
The Cowboys’ coach, Brian Schottenheimer, said they nNESN.comeed to use different secret signals now because Grier and Zeke are on the other team’s side.
We always pay attention to this,” said Schottenheimer to reporters. “It is something we check every week. But we know that Will and Zeke know a lot about our secrets. So we talk about it and say, ‘Okay, let us change this up.’ We have more than one secret sign for our important plays, just to be safe.
Gathering information from players who have spent time elsewhere to see if it can give them an advantage is nothing new. That information rarely leads to headline-grabbing claims, but sometimes intimate details are shared between opponents, like when Tyler Lockett sent a hand signal to defenseman Russell Wilson early last season.
Everyone on Our Team Will Know Exactly What We are Going to Do
It may cause a disturbance. Meanwhile, Patriots OC Bill O’Brien downplayed the information he received from Grier and Elliott. “Interrogation!” O’Brien said. “Scotty is a good guy. I have known Shotty for a long time. I think it is like that every week, every year in this league. … I do not think we are trying to mislead anyone and say, “Tell me what you did on July 20, 2023.”
We do not intend to do that. We do not interrogate anyone. We are just trying to put together the best game plan we can.
O’Brien added that with players changing teams frequently, each club always needs to scout their own signals and plans independently. “We are going to have people coming into the organization from the teams we play, and it is a two-way street,” O’Brien said. “You know, it happens all the time. After all, you have to study film.
“Everyone on our team will know exactly what we are going to do. I have been in the league for a long time, and I do not think secret signals make a big difference in whether we win or lose. What really matters is the players on the field and the coaches helping them do their best and make great plays. That is what we are focused on.”
