Headset problems are new headache for Patriots

While the NFL tries to untangle what caused the headsets of the Pittsburgh Steelers to malfunction in the first half of the Kickoff Opener at New England – and conspiracy theories fly – it’s worth noting that these types of communication issues are nothing new.

In 2003, various coaches detailed for The Times some of the headset issues the NFL encountered over the years, including some humorous episodes in the since-mothballed Silverdome, old home of the Detroit Lions.

Late Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger was trying to suggest a play in a game, but instead of connecting with then-Coach Jeff Fisher, Heimerdinger heard the urgent voice of a woman.

“Suite 305 needs more hors d’oeuvres right away!” she said.

Two weeks earlier, at the same stadium, St. Louis running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery had trouble communicating with fellow coaches because his radio frequency crackled with uninvited guests.

“We kept getting a lot of truckers talking out on the highway,” Montgomery recalled of that 2001 game. “They were cutting in and out when we were trying to get people out on the field. It gets a little wacky and crazy.”

The Steelers aren’t so jovial about their problems in Thursday night’s game. First of all, the Patriots are playing under a cloud of suspicion in the wake of Deflategate and new Spygate accusations, so they aren’t getting the benefit of the doubt from many people outside New England – even though it’s the NFL that is responsible for making sure the sideline headsets work.

In the first half of their 28-21 defeat, the Steelers were picking up the Patriots’ radio broadcast on their headsets, and they said the problem persisted for most of the first half.

After the game, Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin did little to stomp out suspicions that the Patriots had a hand in the situation.

“That’s always been the case,” said Tomlin, who responded in the affirmative when asked if he was specifically referring to games at Gillette Stadium.

The NFL released a statement explaining the problem:

“In the first quarter of tonight’s game, the Pittsburgh coaches experienced interference in their headsets caused by a stadium power infrastructure issue, which was exacerbated by the inclement weather. The coaches’ communications equipment, including the headsets, is provided by the N.F.L. for both clubs’ use on game day. Once the power issue was addressed, the equipment functioned properly with no additional issues.”

Typically, if one team is encountering headset problems, the NFL shuts down the other team’s system as well in the name of fairness. That apparently did not happen in Thursday night’s game, and the Steelers hinted on their website that there was something untoward about that.

The account of the game on the Steelers website included: “Strangely enough, whenever an NFL representative proceeded to the New England sideline to shut down their headsets, the Steelers headsets cleared. Then as the representative walked away from the New England sideline, the Steelers’ headsets again started to receive the Patriots game broadcast.”

Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said his team had “a lot of problems” with headsets, too.

“We had to switch headphones a couple times,” he said. “The communications system wasn’t very good. We deal with that it seems like weekly. They told us they were on the verge of shutting it off.”

Belichick said the team almost had to switch out quarterback Tom Brady’s helmet – fitted with a coach-to-quarterback radio receiver – toward the end of the game.

“Couldn’t get the plays into him,” the coach said. “It was a problem all night.”