After Steelers Accuse Patriots Of Cheating, Ty Law Unleashed On Jerome Bettis: "You're Full Of S***!"

Ask any Pittsburgh Steelers fan (over 30) about the New England Patriots and the first thing you are likely to hear is that they are "cheaters." It has been nearly two decades, but the feelings surrounding Spygate and the Steelers' loss in the 2004 AFC Championship still linger for many. But those feelings go both ways with Patriots players and fans vehemently defending their team. This includes a recent clapback from former Patriots defensive back, Ty Law.   

Recently, two members of that historic Steelers team came together to discuss old times, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Jerome Bettis. The duo paired up to win Super Bowl XL at the end of the 2005 season. It was well known at the time that Bettis was ready to retire. The team pulled together and the stars aligned to help him win the "one for the thumb" in his hometown of Detroit. 

Roethlisberger now co-hosts a podcast called Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger with his friend Spencer Te'o and they recently had Bettis as a guest on the show. Roethlisberger asked Bettis how close he was to retiring after the frustrating loss in 2004 to the Patriots in that Championship game. Bettis jokingly reminded Roethlisberger that they might have won the game if he hadn't thrown two interceptions, but the former quarterback wasn't willing to take full responsibility. 

"Hey, to be fair, the Patriots cheated," Roethlisberger recalled.

Bettis absolutely agreed with Roethlisberger. He said that he recalls how it happened clear as day. It was the Steelers' second possession of the game and it was fourth and one. The Patriots were winning by three and the Steelers knew they couldn't let any chances slip away. 

"For sure they did, it's not even a question in my mind. It was fourth and one, they called a timeout. First of all, the coach did (a hand gesture). This means counter. Who normally goes to the sideline on a timeout? The defensive captains. They pulled the nose guard to the sidelines. Big 400-pound guy, he don't want to go to the sidelines and all the way back. We run the paly, and he loops into the hole. They stop us on fourth down," recalled Bettis.

During that AFC Championship game, the Steelers attempted to run Bettis on a fourth-and-one play. As a power back, these kinds of plays were ones that Bettis routinely picked up. While it is possible that the Patriots knew the Steelers' plays, the Steelers also had their own mistakes such as penalties and interceptions.

Steelers' Accusations Of Cheating Met With Ire By Former Patriot 

It took no time for Patriots players to get defensive about the comments that were made. New England's cornerback at the time, Ty Law, has let his frustration be known over the comments made by the former Steelers. Despite the Patriots being sanctioned by the NFL for secretly taping the opposing team's signals, players and fans always come to their defense.  

"I'm gonna call my boy Jerome out on this one. Jerome Bettis, you are full of s**t. Absolutely full of s**t. First of all, it's fourth-and-one, what's your nickname, The Bus. We know you're getting the ball! Fourth-and-one, big a** running back in the back. You're getting the ball. Don't be mad at us because your O-line can't block."

It isn't really surprising that Patriots players would deny any wrongdoing. It also isn't surprising that much of the NFL remains frustrated with the fact that the scandal wasn't satisfactorily resolved. Bettis and Roethlisberger are not the first players to speak out about the Patriots cheating scandal. 

Former Steelers offensive tackle Barrett Brooks confirmed that the spying was happening long before the supposed 2007 start date. He recalled hearing things that led him to believe that the Patriots defense knew what they were going to do before they did.

"I could hear all those guys, you know Rodney Harrison say, 'Draw, draw' and then Ben [Roethlisberger] comes in and he calls a draw and I am like, 'What is going on?' Tedy Bruschi knowing the play, 'Hey, hey this one they're gonna sprint to the right' and then moving the entire defense over, because they knew our plays before it happened."

The Patriots took a slap on the wrist for their actions in Spygate. They admitted to wrongdoing and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell fined Head Coach Brian Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000. They were also forced to forfeit their first-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. What seems to irk opposing fans the most is that the evidence, the tapes, were destroyed without anyone knowing exactly what was on them. 

In reality, the Patriots probably made the perception of their actions even worse than the reality by not fully disclosing what they did. This allows people's imaginations to run wild while they assume the worst. To make matters worse, the Patriots had the greatest quarterback in the NFL at that time, Tom Brady. Brady and Belichick combined to create the most effective offense the NFL has ever seen, they didn't need to cheat. 

What do you think about Spygate? For how long do you think they were cheating, was 2007 just the tip of the iceberg? Click to comment below. 

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