What is Netflix’s Sign Stealer documentary about? Everything you need to know

On July 22, 2024, Netflix announced an episode on the Sign Stealer scandal as a part of its docuseries Untold. According to the post shared on Netflix's official X account, the episode will revolve around Connor Stalions from the Michigan Wolverines football team and his alleged involvement in the scandal that took place in 2023.

The post read:

"Sign Stealer (Aug 27): Connor Stalions shares his side of Michigan's alleged sign-stealing scheme that turned him into a viral villain."

For the unversed, 'Sign stealing' is when a staff member from a certain team uses the opposition coach's hand gestures or non-verbal instructions to direct their own team's strategy. The National Collegiate Athletic Association has guidelines in place for this, which were reportedly violated by Connor Stalions.

This story will be part of season 4 of Untold on Netflix, along with other narratives from the sports world. The Sign Stealer episode, directed by Micah Brown, will premiere on the platform on August 27, 2024.

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What was the Sign Stealer scandal?

This scandal came to light in November 2023 when Connor Stalions allegedly participated in sign-stealing against the Michigan Wolverine's rival teams. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) opened an investigation into the matter. Stalions resigned from his post on November 3, 2024.

From November 7 onwards, many differing perspectives about the scandal came to light. Many off-campus scouting charges were brought against Stalions. It was suggested that university league schools hired designated sign stealers to compile information about rival teams and their playing patterns.

On the other hand, the University of Michigan stated that Rutgers, Ohio State, and Purdue universities had also participated in sign-stealing.

As a consequence, Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended for the team's final three games of the year, and linebacker coach Chris Partridge was fired. However, the Michigan team won their national championship game and NCAA president Charlie Baker also defended their win.

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When will the documentary be released on Netflix?

The official poster for Untold (Image via Netflix)

The Wolverines scandal will be one of the main issues covered in the new installment of Netflix's episodic documentary series Untold. The episode, titled Sign Stealer, will feature Connor Stalions speaking about the scandal. This is perhaps one of the first interactions where Stalions would open up to the media about his role and reaction to the NCAA allegations and investigation.

Season 4 of Untold will focus on three stories, one per episode. The first episode will explore the murder of Steve McNair. He was murdered in 2009 after his exciting stint at the Super Bowl, with many unanswered questions about his demise. The second episode will chronicle Connor Stalions' account, while the final story will revolve around soccer icon Hope Solo.

The episodes will premiere weekly, starting on August 20, 2024, and ending on September 3, 2024. Interested viewers can watch the series on Netflix. The previous seasons of Untold are also streaming on the platform.

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Catch the Sign Stealer episode on August 27, 2024.