Fine is possible for presence of bluetooth device on Ravens sideline

Poe the Raven

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Mar 16, 2019
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Twitter is a-flutter regarding an image broadcast by CBS of a Ravens employee wearing a bluetooth headset on the sideline on Sunday, while standing behind coach John Harbaugh.

It’s technically a violation of the rules for team personnel other than doctors and training staff to have such devices in the bench area. (It’s believed that the person wearing the headset is Ravens director of security Darren Sanders.) Earlier this year, for example, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was fined $5,000 for wearing an Apple watch in the bench area during a game.

Of course, having it and using it are two different things. And it will be easy for the league to determine whether the person actually utilized the device while in the bench area, or whether he simply had it in his ear and forgot to remove it, for example. If the device was used, a major fine could be imposed.

If he wasn’t using it, it’s a non-issue. But it still could/should result in a fine, given the bright-line rule that the league has adopted regarding such devices.
 
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