The guy who took the Atlanta Falcons game plan is adamant ... HE'S NOT A PATRIOTS SPY!!!
By now you've heard the story ... Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan lost his backpack with the game plans in it during Super Bowl Media Night on Monday.
Turns out, the bag was taken by longtime sportswriter Art Spander (he's covered 40 Super Bowls) who returned the bag a short time later.
Spander says the whole thing was just an innocent mistake ... but some hardcore conspiracy theorists aren't buying it ... suggesting the whole thing was a Patriots plot.