Mike Florio ,
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If you think the feud between North Carolina coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots is getting juicy, it could still get a lot juicier.
Belichick’s selective, and admitted, ban of the Patriots from the facility raises obvious liability issues. Belichick works for a state institution. He’s subject to the legal requirements that apply to any other state actor.
The biggest potential problem for Belichick is the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Although North Carolina practices and facilities are not generally open to the public, access to those who legitimately require it cannot be limited in a discriminatory fashion.
Basically, if Belichick is going to let one team in, he has to let every team in. And if he’s going to ban one team, he has to ban all of them.
While the financial damages would be nominal, the Patriots could get a court order requiring Belichick to give him access. And the Patriots could recover the attorneys’ fees incurred through the effort to get Belichick to not blatantly violate the Constitution.
Would the Patriots sue? Belichick is basically daring them to do it. And if the goal is to scout all players thoroughly, why wouldn’t they do whatever they have to do to ensure that they get the access they need — especially if their competitors are getting that access?
There could be specific North Carolina laws that Belichick has violated by denying the Patriots access to practice. The U.S. Constitution, however, gives the Patriots all they need to force Belichick to back down.
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