New England Patriots allegedly used scoreboard illusions to disrupt kickers

Research by former NFL analytics coach Ryan Paganetti suggests the New England Patriots utilized a scoreboard tactic to disorient opposing kickers at Gillette Stadium for over a decade.

According to Paganetti’s analysis of more than ten years of television broadcasts, the stadium’s video boards displayed a reversed and offset image of yellow field goal uprights directly behind the actual posts during opposing field goal attempts. This optical illusion was reportedly amplified during windy conditions, as the streamers on the video board would appear to point in the opposite direction of the physical streamers on the actual uprights, potentially affecting a kicker's depth perception and aim.

Paganetti noted that the tactic appeared to be highly targeted. In a review of 52 Patriots field goal attempts during the same period, the scoreboard illusion was present zero times, suggesting the practice was specifically intended to provide a competitive edge against opponents.