Report: 11 Of 12 Footballs Used By The Patriots During Sunday’s AFC Title Game Were Under-Inflated

You’ve seen the video, read the reports, and heard everybody’s opinion on the matter to this point. Now it’s time we finally get word on how much the New England Patriots did wrong, hopefully shutting the door on DEFLATEGATE 2015: BALLGHAZI (hopefully starring Ben Gazzara, back from the grave).

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is all over a report from official league sources claiming that 11 of the 12 balls used by the New England Patriots on Sunday were under-inflated by at least 2 pounds of air. That’s almost two Danny Woodheads.

https://twitter.com/mortreport/status/557748673208401921

When reached for comment, NFL officials didn’t have much to say yet. From ESPN:

“We are not commenting at this time,” said Greg Aiello, the NFL’s senior vice president of communications.

Troy Vincent, the league’s senior executive vice president of football operations, said earlier Tuesday that the NFL expected to wrap up its investigation in “two or three days.”

The Patriots responded by saying that they are in cooperation with the league, but the lingering question seems to be how the balls were deflated on the field:

Part of the investigation that still needs further vetting is how the 11 footballs became under-inflated. The game balls provided to each team for preparation were required to be inspected and approved by referee Walt Anderson two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff before they were returned to each team. No alteration of footballs is allowed once they are approved, under league rules and regulations. (via)

I’d take suggestions, but I think that Rob Gronkowski has provided a proper response via Twitter and it hasn’t nothing to do with Vince Wilfork’s need for a pre-game nap cushion.

We’ll be sure to update as this story trudges along. Hopefully no one the Seahawks decides to wear different colored shoes, the NFL won’t know what to do with such a discipline overload on their hands.

(Via ESPN)