The New England Patriots’ Deflategate game came to the fore again earlier this week with Outside the Lines reporting that an official from the team had attempted to introduce an unapproved ball into the AFC Championship game. The transgression may not be so serious after all though: ESPN reported on Thursday that the football had been handed to the Patriots’ locker-room attendant by an NFL official.
According to the source a special teams ball had gone missing, and an NFL employee in charge of collecting balls for charity had given a new one to the Patriots locker room attendant in question, Jim McNally.
The NFL has commissioned an independent investigation into the Deflategate scandal, led by attorney Ted Wells. Wells and his team are said to be aware that McNally received the ball from an NFL employee.
The Delflategate investigation is looking into whether the Patriots deliberately used underinflated footballs – which can be easier for players to grip – during their AFC Championship game victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Eleven of the 12 footballs used by the Patriots during the game are said to have been underinflated.
If the Patriots are found guilty they could be fined or docked Draft picks.
