Report: Eleven of 12 New England Patriots Game Balls Were Under-Inflated - East Idaho News
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Report: Eleven of 12 New England Patriots Game Balls Were Under-Inflated

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getty 012115 patriotsdeflategateball?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1421844530996 Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The NFL says it is “continuing” to look into allegations that the New England Patriots had 11 of their 12 allotted game footballs during Sunday’s AFC Championship game under-inflated.

“We are continuing our review and will provide an update as soon as possible,” the league said in a statement.

According to ESPN’s report, the footballs used by the Patriots were under-inflated by two pounds per square inch. Footballs, which are weighed before the game, must be inflated to no less than 12.5 pounds per square inch.

A deflated ball could be easier for the quarterback to grip in bad weather, such as in Sunday’s rain at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. New England won the game, 45-7.

Each team provides 12 new Wilson Official NFL footballs for referees to check before games, with additional balls available for backup purposes or at the away team’s discretion. The minimum disciplinary action for tampering of a football is a fine of $25,000, according to the NFL’s game operations manual.

The controversy around “deflate-gate” has taken attention away from the Super Bowl, which will feature the Patriots playing against the Seattle Seahawks.


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