Football Inflation Once Again Under Scrutiny After Referee Debacle in Chiefs-Patriots, per Report

Deflategate, round two?

There’s another chapter in the Patriots’ Deflategate scandal.

Well, sort of.

In the first half of New England’s 27–17 loss to the Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, kicking balls were under-inflated by two pounds, Mass Live’s Mark Daniels reported Wednesday.

Referees reportedly took the balls into the locker room and discovered they weighed 11 pounds per square inch instead of the NFL’s legal limit between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds. 

Patriots kicker Chad Ryland and Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker both missed field goal attempts in the first half—Butker from 39 yards out and Ryland from 41.

"A source said the Patriots rookie’s mechanics were good on the attempt, but the flight of the ball was off."

Here's the Chad Ryland kick in question: https://t.co/alS6VxvC3Y pic.twitter.com/PPc66j4AMh

— Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) December 20, 2023

The 39-yard attempt was Butker’s first missed kick of the year.

Officials resolved the issue at halftime, and the footballs weren’t a problem in the final two quarters.