

NFL investigating Patriots for possible deflation of footballs
Updated January 19, 2015 11:37 AM
By BOB GLAUBER bob.glauber@newsday.com
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The NFL is looking into whether footballs used in the Patriots’ 45-7 win over the Colts in Sunday’s AFC Championship game were not fully inflated.
NFL spokesman Michael Signora confirmed in an email to Newsday on Monday morning that the matter is being investigated. Signora declined to offer further details about the matter.
According to the NFL rule book, footballs must be inflated to between 12.5-13.5 pounds per square inch (PSI) and weigh between 14 and 15 ounces. There also are specific rules about how many footballs are to be available for each game, as well as testing procedures by the on-field officials. Each team provided 12 footballs before the game, plus an additional 12 in the case of bad weather, as was the situation in New England on Sunday.
It is unclear as to where the complaint originated. On-field officials removed one football from the game Sunday to have it checked.
“If something is noticed, It’s not unheard of for a ball to removed from circulation and then tested during the week for whatever issue there was,” NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said Monday on the NFL Network’s show “NFL AM.”
https://www.newsday.com/sports/football/super-bowl/nfl-opens-patriots-deflated-football-probe-after-afc-championship-win-1.9821346