The @nfl confirmed to @ABC it is "looking into" whether the @Patriots deflated footballs during NE's rout of the @Colts
— Aaron Katersky (@AaronKatersky) January 19, 2015
The investigation began after a report from an Indianapolis TV station saying one of the Patriots' balls had been taken out of action during the game to be weighed.
I'm told at one point the officials took a ball out of play and weighed it. Should hear more tomorrow on this subject.
— Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) January 19, 2015
According to the NFL's 2014 rule book, game balls must be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch and weigh between 14 and 15 ounces.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is already dismissing the claims, calling them "ridiculous," NFL.com reports.
"I think I've heard it all at this point," Brady told WEEI-FM. "That's the last of my worries. I don't even respond to stuff like this."
Deflated balls are easier to grip in rainy conditions. If the NFL discovers they were used to gain an advantage, it could result in a fine or a loss of draft picks.
Told if a league investigation confirms deflated footballs it will result in lost draft picks. Stay tuned.
— Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) January 19, 2015
Nobody is suggesting this is why the colts lost obviously. They were manhandled.
— Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) January 19, 2015
No NFL team has even been accused or found guilty of using deflated balls during a game, Yahoo News reports.
