NFLPA president on Deflategate: NFL to interview players after Super Bowl
NFL Players Association president DeMaurice Smith said the NFL made a decision to interview New England Patriots players about Deflategate after the Super Bowl, according toUSA Today's Tom Pelissero.
The league is currently investigating the Patriots for Deflategate and has said evidence "thus far supports the conclusion that footballs that were under-inflated were used by the Patriots in the first half" of the AFC title game.
Last week, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he did not alter the footballs used in the game "in any way."
• ROSENBERG: Legacy of Deflategate
After the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts, New England was accused of playing with balls that were inflated below league requirements. Subsequent investigations found that 11 of the Patriots' 12 footballs were, in fact, under-inflated by two pounds of air (psi), based on league regulations, sparking reaction all across the NFL. It was later revealed that the 12th football was also under-inflated, but by less than two psi.
It was reported last week that the 12 footballs were properly inspected and approved by referee Walt Anderson prior to kickoff.
• BURKE: Robert Kraft doubles down in Deflategate press conference
Patriots coach Bill Belichick has said he was shocked to hear about the Deflategate controversy and had no explanation for the under-inflated footballs.
New England plays the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday.
Molly Geary
