New Orleans Saints general manger Mickey Loomis said Thursday that he would welcome getting contacted during the investigation into the allegations that a rigged device in his Superdome stadium suite allowed him the ability to listen to opposing coaches' conversations.
State and federal law officials have opened an investigation to determine if Loomis violated wiretapping laws, NFL.com's Steve Wyche reported earlier this week.
"I welcome that," Loomis said during an interview on ProFootballTalk Live, adding that he has not yet been contacted by authorities. "I welcome an investigation because, again, it's not true."
ESPN's "Outside The Lines" reported Monday that an unidentified source claimed Loomis ordered a device in his Superdome suite be re-wired so he could listen to opponents' conversations through his own earpiece from 2002 to 2004. The report said it is unknown if Loomis ever used the device, which was located in front of his seat.
"Regarding the eavesdropping, in my 28 or 29 years I have never listened to an opposing teams communications," Loomis said Thursday at a news conference. "I have never asked for the capability to listen to an opposing team's communications. I have never inquired to as to the possibility of listening in on an opposing team's communications and I have never been aware of any capability to listen in on an opposing team's communications at the Superdome or any NFL stadium."
"I couldn't understand what they said primarily because of the static," Loomis said. "A little while later, I had it switched over so I could hear the radio broadcast.
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Loomis added: "Ninety-nine percent of the time I'm not listening to anything. I'm just watching the game and taking a few notes."
Loomis said he has no idea why the report just now came to light, however, he indicated that ESPN reporter John Barr had spent the past month in New Orleans searching for negative stories on the Saints.
"He's been calling around ... and asking for anything that might reflect negatively on Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis or the organization," Loomis said.
Loomis said that he didn't know if he or the team would pursue any legal recourse in response for the allegations "but certainly we're going to explore all of our options."
Asked if he knew who was the person responsible for making the eavesdropping allegations Loomis responded: "I might, but listen, I wouldn't accuse someone unless I was absolutely sure, and unfortunately I didn't get that same consideration from the reporter at ESPN."
