NFL Transfers Mike Kensil From Football Operations To 'International Operations'
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Long considered by skeptics and critics as a Darth Sidious-type figure in DeflateGate, lurking behind the scenes pulling strings, NFL vice president of football operations Mike Kensil has reportedly been given a new title: "vice president of game operations - international."
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Pro Football Talk that Kensil has been transferred to the international operations department because the league "needed a senior executive to work exclusively in this priority area." The Patriots do not have any international games scheduled for the 2016 season and, presumably, won't be planning on playing overseas as long as the NFL has Kensil working game-day operations.
SEE ALSO: Troy Vincent — And By Extension, Roger Goodell — Caught In Another Case Of DeflateGate Deceit
Just to refresh your memory, it was Kensil who, according to witnesses, stormed onto the Patriots sideline to tell them "You're in big [expletive] trouble!" Former referee Bill Leavy, who officiated the Patriots-Jets game that featured footballs measured at 16 PSI and sparked the infamous text conversations between Patriots employees, was transferred off the field to an "advisory role" last June.
Kensil has justifiably been one of the top targets of Barstool Sports since pretty much the very beginning of DeflateGate. He scurried away like a frightened rabbit when Dave Portnoy approached him at Super Bowl XLIX Media Day.
This can only be good news in this part of the country. One less person out to nail the Patriots out of spite. One less person to distract the team from its ultimate goal, which is to make Roger Goodell hand (at least) one more Lombardi Trophy to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.