Goodell Meets With Walsh In 'Spygate' Case; Specter Up Next

NFL Commissioner To Discuss Patriots' Videotaping

POSTED: 10:14 am EDT May 8, 2008

UPDATED: 11:33 am EDT May 13, 2008

NEW YORK -- Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh has left the NFL offices after a long-anticipated meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell about the alleged "Spygate" case, which involves the taping of at least one Pittsburgh Steelers game.

Survey: Should the Pats Face Additional Penalties?

Message Board: Share Your Thoughts

Walsh is scheduled to meet with Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., in Washington later Tuesday afternoon. The Pennsylvania Republican has been critical of the NFL's handling of the investigation.

"I think it is very unfortunate that the NFL has already started its 'nothing new' spin before watching the tapes or finding out what Mr. Matt Walsh has to say. Let's see where the evidence leads," Specter said last week.

Reporter Sheldon Ingram will have live updates starting at 5 p.m. on WTAE Channel 4 Action News.

Walsh and Goodell discussed the team's videotaping of opposing coaches' play-calling signals in violation of league rules in a meeting that lasted nearly three hours.

The videos are said to include a recording of the Patriots' victory over the Steelers in the 2002 AFC championship game. They then went on to defeat the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl.

"It's not good," Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said last week. "That's why the commissioner is devoting his time to make sure we do the right thing."

Rooney said he didn't want to speculate on how -- or if -- Belichick and the Patriots should be punished for these latest developments.

"That's not my decision," Rooney said. "That's Roger Goodell's decision. He has to make that judgment."

In February, Rooney said he didn't believe the tapings had an effect on the outcome of the Steelers-Patriots game.

"We consider the tapes of our coaching staff during our games against the New England Patriots to be a non-issue. In our opinion, they had no impact on the results of those games," Rooney said in a statement at that time.

Walsh declined to comment to reporters Tuesday as he entered and left the league offices followed by horde of cameramen and photographers.

Walsh worked for New England from 1997 to 2003. He sent the NFL eight videotapes last week that showed the Patriots recording play-calling signals.

The league said the tapes were consistent with what it already knew last September when it fined coach Bill Belichick $500,000, the Patriots $250,000 and stripped the team of its first-round draft choice.

Previous Stories: