Report: Dolphins brought extra staffers to watch equipment vs. Pats

The Miami Dolphins might have sent a message, albeit quietly, to the New England Patriots earlier this season when they visited Gillette Stadium in October.

That message: Don't touch my stuff.

According to The Miami Herald, citing multiple sources, the Dolphins brought extra equipment staffers to help keep an eye on the team's equipment and ensure that no Patriots employee would have any reason to touch their belongings.

Dolphins vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum has a history with the Patriots. He was the general manager of the New York Jets in 2007 when they accused the Patriots of illegally taping Jets coaches in an attempt to steal signals. The Patriots were ultimately penalized by the NFL for the incident, known as Spygate.

The week before the Dolphins-Patriots matchup in October, according to multiple reports, NFL security swept the visiting locker room at Gillette Stadium for electronic listening devicesbefore a game against the Jets. An NFL spokesman said the request to do so was not made by the Jets.

The Dolphins host the Patriots on Sunday.