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Report: NFL Finds 11 Of 12 Patriots Balls Were Underinflated During AFC Title Game

Tony ManfredJan 21, 2015, 18:03 IST

An NFL investigation has found that 11 of the 12 balls that the New England Patriots used on offense in the AFC title game were underinflated, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports.

NFL teams each bring 12 balls to the game and use their own. The balls are inspected two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, and have to be inflated to between 13.5 and 14.5 pounds per square inch.

According to Mortensen, New England's game balls were inflated to around 11.5 pounds per square inch.

In theory, an underinflated ball would be easier to hold, catch, and throw.

One source told Mortensen that the league is "disappointed ... angry ... distraught."

We still don't know how the balls got deflated, which is the key to all of this.

Bob Kravitz of WTHR reported on Sunday that the team could be fined and have draft picks taken away if they're found to have deflated the balls intentionally.