According to a letter from the National Football League that was shared with Boston Globe on Tuesday, an investigation found that the New England Patriots used 11 underinflated footballs for their AFC Championship game victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (52) and New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.
AP Photo / Matt Slocum
The letter, which was shared with the Boston Globe on Tuesday, said the League had found 11 footballs were underinflated during the game against the Indianapolis Colts, who were beaten 45-7.
The NFL's Senior Vice President of Communications Greg Aiello told ESPN.com that they are not commenting at this time.
Official game balls for the NFL football Super Bowl XLIX sit in a bin before being laced and inflated in Ada, Ohio, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015.
AP Photo / Rick Osentoski
Newsday reported the under-inflated balls were likely noticed after an interception by Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson late in the second quarter of Sunday's game.
Jackson then reportedly gave the ball to a member of the team's equipment staff, who suspected the ball was underinflated.
The general manager of the Colts, Ryan Grigson, was told about the ball, who contacted Mike Kensil, NFL's director of football operations, who then told game officials during halftime.
The NFL's rules state that a football must be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch and weigh between 14 and 15 ounces because an underinflated could be easier to grip and catch, according to ESPN.
If the weight of the football is knowingly underinflated, the NFL's operations manual states that the team or person responsible will be subject to punishment, including, but not limited to, a $25,000 fine.
