An NFL report found star quarterback Tom Brady was “generally aware” that two New England Patriots employees may have deflated game balls.
The lengthy report released by the NFL on Wednesday concluded locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski probably deflated 11 of the 12 game balls used in the AFC championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. It stopped short of implicating Patriots owner Robert Kraft or coach Bill Belichick.
In an interesting twist, the report notes the two employees may have engaged in the behavior before. It publishes several profane text exchanges between the two.
For instance, after an October game against the New York Jets, Brady complained about the inflation level of the game balls.
“Talked to [Brady] last night,” Jastremski texted to McNally. “He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done.”
Jastremski planned to give McNally a needle to deflate the ball in exchange for sneakers and cash, the report said.
“I have a big needle for u this week,” Jastremski texted McNally before an October game against the Chicago Bears.
The deflating allegations surfaced during the AFC Championship game in January when the Patriots soundly defeated the Indianapolis Colts. Brady was intercepted during that game, and Colts personnel notified the NFL they suspected the balls were a little light, the report said.
NFL officials inspect game balls for both teams before team personnel bring the balls to the field. Without the referee’s permission, McNally took the balls to the playing field, the report said.
However, before he reached the field, McNally entered a bathroom for a minute and 40 seconds, according to the report, which cites witness interviews and videotape evidence.
“To say we are disappointed in [the] findings, which do not include any incontrovertible or hard evidence of deliberate deflation of footballs at the AFC Championship game, would be a gross understatement,” Kraft said in response to the report. “We understand and greatly respect the responsibility of being one of 32 in this league and, on that basis, we will accept the findings of the report and take the appropriate actions based on those findings as well as any discipline levied by the league.”
Deflategate has haunted the Patriots ever since their blowout win over the Colts and close victory in the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.
President Obama even made note of the scandal when he greeted the Patriots to the White House several weeks ago, saying he had 12 jokes planned but 11 of them fell flat.
