Jaguars confirm whether former employee accused of stealing $22M had access to 'football information'

A wild story emerged on Wednesday that a former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Amit Patel, stole more than $22M from the team. While Patel allegedly robbed the Jaguars blind for five years, it's worth wondering if he snatched inside team info, too. 

Well, according to the Jaguars, Patel's thievery was limited to the financial side of things. 

"This individual had no access to confidential football strategy, personnel or other football information," a statement from the Jaguars read via Katie Strang and Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic.

The comment might seem insignificant on the surface, though it may mean something in the long run. Patel allegedly used stolen funds to make several lavish purchases but also reportedly funneled it into online sports gambling and cryptocurrency. If privy to it, inside information could have benefited those pursuits. 

The Jaguars' statement did not reveal what sports Patel bet on, and the team refused to comment further on that specific allegation.  

Before being fired in 2023 by the Jaguars, Patel held several titles in the financial planning and analysis departments, rising to manager. 

According to The Athletic's report, Patel was in charge of the team's monthly financial statements, department budgets and the virtual credit card program, which helped him commit his alleged scheme. 

Patel reportedly used the money to buy multiple vehicles, a condo, and a watch valued at over $95K, all with Jaguars' money. 

How Patel got away with things for so long is anyone's guess, especially in the billion-dollar world of the NFL, where it might be hard to put $22M into context. 

Luckily, sports business pro Joe Pompliano broke it down. According to Pompliano, the Jaguars made $1.8B from 2019-23, meaning Patel stole 1.2% of the Jaguars' total revenue during that period.