Report: Saints GM could eavesdrop on opposing coaches

(CBS News) Could the NFL general manager at the center of the bounty scandal also be involved in a "Spygate" saga?

According to ESPN's "Outside the Lines," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis had a device in his stadium suite that enabled him to eavesdrop on opposing coaches for nearly three seasons. Anonymous sources familiar with the team's game-day operations told ESPN that Loomis had the ability to covertly listen to visiting coaching staffs for most of the 2002 season and all of the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten in Louisiana acknowledged that he had been informed of the alleged device on Friday but did not elaborate, ESPN reported.

Last month, the NFL suspended Loomis eight games his role in the team's bounty scandal.

Goodell upholds suspensions, fines in Saints bounty case

According to "Outside the Lines," the original device was installed in 2000 - two years before Loomis became GM. At that time, sources said, the device could only monitor Saints coaches' communications. But the device was apparently rewired in 2002 to pick up communications of opposing coaches. "Outside the Lines" said it was unclear whether Loomis ever used the device.

Greg Bensel, Saints VP of communications, denied the "Outside the Lines" report on Monday, saying: "This is 1,000 percent false."

In 2007, the NFL fined Patriots head coach Bill Belichick $500,000 for his role in "Spygate" - the incident in which New England assistants were caught videotaping New York Jets' coaches relaying signals. The Patriots were fined $250,000 and also docked a first-round draft pick.