Eagles' Jake Elliott pushes back on cheating allegations: 'Completely legal'
The Philadelphia Eagles will play the New York Giants for a third time this season on Saturday
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Philadelphia Eagles place kicker Jake Elliott pushed back on allegations that he and his team were cheating because they use an item to mark the kicking spot on field goals.
Elliott said Wednesday their method is within NFL rules. Philadelphia faced cheating allegations during their Week 14 win against the New York Giants.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}From left, the Philadelphia Eagles' Jordan Mailata, Jake Elliott and Jack Stoll gather during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2022. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
"We’ve always used something that’s within the rules," Elliot said, via NJ.com. "It’s just literally to mark the spot. It’s part of the playing surface, like a piece of grass or something like that."
The kicker said the team spoke with the league about the issue.
"When we talked to them, we explained what we’re doing, and they saw what we were doing. Probably 30 teams do it around the league. It’s just a point of emphasis, and someone makes it bigger than it is. Everything we’ve done has been completely legal," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Place kicker Jake Elliott of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on during a game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit on Sept. 11, 2022. (Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The issue arose during the Eagles-Giants game in December at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., according to Football Zebras. Britain Covey, who was the emergency holder for the Eagles, was spotted picking up a small object and a replay appeared to show the object directly under the ball when it was snapped.
Football Zebras noted it wasn’t seen by the officiating crew on the field and cited NFL rules that prohibit that type of interaction.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"No article of any type may be placed on the field, or used in any manner, to assist a player in the execution of a field goal and/or [extra-point] Try attempt," the rule states.
Elliott and the Eagles will face the Giants once again on Saturday — but this time it’s to determine who advances to the NFC Championship.
Place kicker Jake Elliott of the Philadelphia Eagles checks the scoreboard during a game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit on Sept. 11, 2022. (Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The two teams last met in the playoffs in 2011. The Donovan McNabb-led Eagles squad beat New York 23-11.