NFL Deflated Ball Scandal Pops

In last year’s AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts, the New England Patriots went on to win 45-7. After the game, there were many concerns from Colts players that the footballs were not fully inflated throughout the match-up.

The game took place in New England, which means that it was the Patriots home field and that they use their balls. ESPN reported about 24 hours after the game that the NFL had found 11 of the 12 footballs were measured about two pounds per square inch below the league minimum of 12.5 pounds.

Many people believe to this day that the outcome could have been different if the footballs were properly inflated.

“The Colts definitely got cheated in that game, and I thought that they should have won,” junior Hunter Zagorski said.

A lot of people were dumbfounded that the refs did not notice that the footballs were not pumped properly because they are holding them so often. News recently broke that New England quarterback Tom Brady is now suspended four games, and the Patriots organization was fined $1 million.

They will also lose their first round pick of the 2016 draft and their fourth round pick in 2017.

“I think it would be very hard to tell if the balls were deflated a little,” senior Tyler Emge said.

Tom Brady has reported that he will appeal his four-game ban. Brady says his punishment was not very fair and was instead rather “harsh.” If Brady were to miss the start of the season, it would be his first time missing the season opener in 10 years.

“Brady in my opinion is the best quarterback to play the game,” senior Mike Osenbach said.

The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl, Tom Brady’s fourth. Brady has until midnight on Thursday to complete his appeal.