An interception by the Indianapolis Colts in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots apparently led to the NFL’s investigation into what is being called deflate-gate.
Newsday has reported that a source familiar with the situation said that after Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson intercepted the football he thought he noticed something unusual about the feel of it. He then gave the ball to the team’s equipment staff who believed it felt deflated and passed the information on to head coach Chuck Pagano.
The source claimed that Colts general manager Ryan Grigson was notified while in a Gillette Stadium press box and contacted NFL director of football operations Mike Kensil. The referees were given the information about the possible deflated footballs at halftime.
Under NFL rules, teams are not allowed to use underinflated footballs during games. So while in inclement weather, like what occurred during the game in Foxborough, the deflated balls would be a lot easier to grip and catch, it is against NFL policy.
On Monday, the Pats quarterback Tom Brady said the allegations are “ridiculous” and head coach Bill Belichick only responded by saying that the team is cooperating fully with the league’s investigation.
In 2007, the Patriots were the subject of another infamous cheating scandal, known as Spygate. The team was accused then of videotaping the signal-calling by the New York Jets’ defensive coaches during a game from the sidelines. The Pats were fined $250,000 and Belichick was fined $500,000. The team also lost its 2008 first-round draft pick.
If these newest allegations prove to be true, the team will be disciplined again and could face more fines and lose upcoming draft picks.