During this morning’s Toucher & Rich radio program, Albert Breer from the MMQB Albert Breer explains what OTAs consist of and how the Patriots offered 15-minute optional sessions during breakfast for players to go over special teams matters with Joe Judge. However, NFL rules dictate that teams can only schedule a limited number of hours per day for offseason programs to prevent teams abusing rules. The Patriots had already scheduled the maximum allowed hours for OTAs, and the additional 15-minute sessions exceeded the allotted time.

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  Jan 2, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots kickoff team wait for play to resume during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

• Rich: Obviously, everyone’s talking about the subject this morning, but I’m glad you’re in here because there’s one thing that news broke yesterday that I’m a little confused by the punishment. What the hell is going on with the OTAs and the Patriots? Can you tell us exactly what you know?

  Breer: There is more or less like these 15 minute optional like sessions that they were offering to players. So offensive/defensive players are going through their normal meetings and practice. Now they’re at the point of OTAs where there’s fall practices. Basically over breakfast when the players came in, they were offered to come and sit down with Joe for 15 minutes to go over special teams stuff, that stuff is here for you. Now, the problem is the way the NFL rules read is guys can come in and spend a certain amount of hours in the building for every day that you have in the offseason program. These rules are in because teams would abuse them left and right if they weren’t. You can only schedule out, I think it’s 4 hours out of the day, right? So like it’s optional plus I can only give you 4 hours of structure So like, here’s 2 hours for lifting. Here’s an hour and a half on the field. Here’s a half hour in the meeting. You can stay in the building and do more if you want, but I can’t give you like a schedule that says there’s anything more than that. So the Patriots had it scheduled to the maximum, then these little breakfast sessions were Joe wind up being like the extra 15 minutes.

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  Jan 4, 2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Special teams coordinator/wide receivers coach Joe Judge (center) stands with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick before their playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

• Breer Also express concerns about the punishment, noting that despite the Patriots’ reputation for being organized and meticulous, last season’s drama contradicted that image even before the team had fully engaged in full-team practices and raises concerns about lingering disorganization within the team. Moreover, the involvement of Joe Judge, who was part of the disorganization last season, adds to the unease. While it might not be a catastrophic situation, it does raise questions about lingering problems from the previous season.

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  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots reacts before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• “After hearing for 20 years how buttoned up the organization is and how the every T is cross everything is dotted, last year kind of flew in the face of that. This stuff happened before they even really gotten to full 11 on 11 practices, you already have something that looks like more disorganization. The other thing is that it involves one of the guys who was involved with this organization last year in Joe Judge. Is it the end of the world? No, but you look at it and it’s like, is this a really bad sign that some of the stuff that was lingering around last year still hasn’t been squash.” – Albert Breer

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• Nick Gemelli is a Producer for the Toucher and Rich program and contributor for 985thesportshub.com. you can follow Nick at @NickGemelli on Twitter.

  Follow @Toucherandrich on Twitter, @Toucherandrichofficial and @fredtoucher on Instagram to keep up with the show!

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