NFL reportedly investigating if Patriots used deflated footballs in AFC Championship game | Fox News

 

No sooner did the New England Patriots clinch a trip to the Super Bowl than fresh allegations of cheating emerged against the franchise late Sunday, this time involving deflated footballs.

 

A reporter from Indianapolis, whose Colts were annihilated by Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and company, tweeted after the 45-7 loss that the NFL had seized at least one game ball from the AFC championship game to examine whether pigskins were intentionally deflated to make them easier to throw and catch.

 

“The NFL is investigating the possibility,” Bob Kravitz, of WTHR, tweeted, adding that, “at one point the officials took a ball out of play and weighed it.”

 

New York Newsday confirmed the report in a tweet early Monday, saying that NFL spokesman Michael Signora saying the league is looking into whether footballs were properly inflated during the game.

If the Patriots did cheat, it would not be the first time. The team was penalized a first-round draft pick, fined $250,000 and head coach Belichick was personally fined $500,000 after an investigation by the NFL determined the team had illegally videotaped their opponents hand signals during a 2007 game.

 

And unsubstantiated accusations of cheating have long dogged the team, stemming from their Super Bowl wins in 2002, 2004 and 2005. The St. Louis Rams claimed the team illegally videotaped their walk-through practices prior to the 2002 game, and players on the other defeated opponents have said the Patriots seemed to have inside knowledge of their playbooks.

 

The Patriots lost the Super Bowl in 2008 and 2012, both times to the New York Giants.

 

Deflating footballs would theoretically have made it easier for quarterback Tom Brady, who completed 23 of 35 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns, to throw and for his receivers to catch in the bad weather of Sunday’s game in Foxboro. But it also should have benefited Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck, who had a miserable game, completing 12 of 33 passes for a mere 126 yards.

 

According to NFL rules, home teams are required to provide 36 balls for outdoor games and make the balls available for testing with a pressure gauge prior to the game.

 

The Patriots were also accused of flouting the rules in the game before Sunday’s contest, in which they beat the Baltimore Ravens using unorthodox formations that Ravens Coach John Harbaugh said were designed to confuse the officials and his defense.

 

However, the margin of victory and the fact that the Colts used the same game balls make it unlikely the cheating, if it occurred, had much of an impact on the game’s outcome. If the allegation is proven, the NFL could take away draft picks from the Partriots.

 

The University of Southern California, under Lane Kiffin, was fined for deflating footballs in 2012 against arch-rival Oregon. Kiffin blamed a student-manager, who was fired.

 

Super Bowl XLIX takes place Feb. 1 in Glendale, Arizona. The defedning champion Seattle Seahawks, who punched a return ticket with a 28-22 win over the Green Bay Packers prior to the Patriots-Colts game, are a two-and-a-half-point favorite in early betting.

Sigh....Was wondering how long it would take before someone brought this up.

 

Once again, much ado about nothing IMO.

In the NFL, I think, both teams use the same footballs, unlike high school and college where you use your own footballs.

I also do not think they would weigh it, that sounds like some one who has no clue how they check to see if balls are inflated properly, uh they use a pressure gauge. Also, the football would weigh more, after the game started because it would have been wet because it was raining...

Not surprised by Post #1 or #2

I don't think deflated footballs made a 38-point difference.

I don't think deflated footballs made a 38-point difference.

 

Agreed

I don't think deflated footballs made a 38-point difference.

 

That and the fact that both teams used the same balls, thus no team has a competitive advantage over the other.

Not surprised by Post #1 or #2

 

Hey, I'm just reporting the news! Don't shoot the messenger! (I do think it's funny though!) :banana:

Not surprised by Post #1 or #2

 

So, you think it's a big deal? You think it made a difference in the outcome?

If deflated footballs were an issue, then the officials were in on it too, because they handled them as much as the players.

We used a deflated ball in flag football a few times throughout college. Crazy how much of a difference it can make on cold/wet nights.

I read that each team uses their own football.

So, you think it's a big deal? You think it made a difference in the outcome?

 

Nope, just not surprised that they would try something like this if they did.

 

Team/Coach has a history of bending and out right Breaking the rules...so I'm not shocked that they would try anything they could to get a perceived advantage.

 

He is the best coach in all of sports in my opinion, but crap like this is stupid.

I read that each team uses their own football.

Well that would change things a little, wouldn't it?