NFL Confirms Footballs Used by Patriots Were Under-inflated

The NFL has confirmed though a statement that the Patriots did use under-inflated footballs during the first half of the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

“While the evidence thus far supports the conclusion that footballs that were under-inflated were used by the Patriots in the first half, the footballs were properly inflated for the second half and confirmed at the conclusion of the game to have remained properly inflated,” the statement read.

How footballs use by the New England Patriots became under-inflated has become the $64,000 question of the investigation. A source with direct knowledge of the situation told Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that all 48 footballs, 24 from both teams, were inspected with a pressure gauge supplied by the league by referee Walt Anderson

The league has also confirmed in the statement that prior to the game, game officials inspected the footballs to be used by each team and confirm that each ball was inflated to between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch.

According to the statement, NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash and Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul Weiss are leading the investigation. Nearly 40 interviews have been conducted with Patriots personnel, game officials, and third parties with relevant information and expertise.

The investigation will continue with investigators to conduct more interviews, examine video and other forensic evidence, and review relevant physical evidence.

“The goals of the investigation will be to determine the explanation for why footballs used in the game were not in compliance with the playing rules and specifically whether any noncompliance was the result of deliberate action. We have not made any judgments on these points and will not do so until we have concluded our investigation and considered all of the relevant evidence,” the statement said.

On Thursday both Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick denied altering the game balls.

Though a statement released on Friday afternoon, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said, “On Monday, I received a letter from the league office informing me that they would be conducting an investigation into the air pressure of the game balls. Immediately after receiving the letter, I instructed our staff to be completely cooperative and transparent with the league’s investigators. During the three days they were here, we provided access to every full- and part-time employee the league’s representatives requested to speak with and produced every communication device that they requested to search. It is an ongoing process that the league and our team are taking very seriously. I very much support the league’s desire to conduct a complete investigation and welcome the appointment of Ted Wells to lead the process. Competitive balance and the integrity of the game are the foundation of what makes our league so special and I have the utmost respect for those principles. Our organization will continue to cooperate throughout the league’s investigation. Meanwhile, our players, coaches and staff will continue to focus on our preparations for Super Bowl XLIX and the many challenges we face as we prepare for the Seattle Seahawks.”

Click here to read the full statement from the NFL.