“Deflategate 2.0?” NFL officials reportedly failed to properly inflate the kicking balls during Patriots-Chiefs game

The Patriots-Chiefs game at Gillette Stadium witnessed the ball not behaving the way should be due to less air pressure in them.

“Deflategate 2.0?” NFL officials reportedly failed to properly inflate the kicking balls during Patriots-Chiefs game

Harrison Butker and Tom Brady (Image via Imago)

Following the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory at Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots special teams were unhappy. According to several sources inside the locker room, the designated kicking balls for both sides were under-inflated.

To get a better judgment, the officials checked the ‘K-Balls’ during halftime and found they were 2 pounds lighter than they should be. According to the NFL guidebook, the footballs should weigh 13.5 pounds.

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Its effects were clear to see at night. Both kickers and punters had a rough time. Chiefs veteran kicker Harrison Butker had dispatched 23 out of 23 field goals before missing a 39-yard attempt in the first quarter. What made matters worse was that it landed short by 3 yards, which allowed Pats Jalen Reagor a kick return.

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The trajectory of the kicks was off. Patriots young spot kicker Chad Ryland missed a 41-yard attempt in the second quarter, which went way wide left. According to a source, Ryland’s technique and mechanics were on point, but the ball did not behave as it should. When the news reached the ears of the referee, they put air into the balls so that there would not be a repeat of what transpired moments before.

They were all sitting around at 11 PSI. The threshold is usually 13.5. The Patriots told the refs they were a little underinflated, or they felt that way. At halftime, they confirmed and obviously put air in them.
A source told MassLive.

told the refs they were a little underinflated, or they felt that way. At halftime, they confirmed and obviously put air in them,” a source told MassLive.

Shades of Deflategate in the Chiefs vs. Patriots game

After inserting air into the balls, players found it easy to play with them. In the second half, Butker made two field goals from 29 yards and 54 yards out. Both Butker and Ryland made five kickoffs for a combined average of 66.6 yards.

"Deflategate 2.0?" NFL officials reportedly failed to properly inflate the kicking balls during Patriots-Chiefs game
New England Patriots placekicker Chad Ryland (Image via SI)

The special teams, who averaged three punts for an average of 45.3 yards in the first half, saw their output jump to an average of 51.8 yards in the second. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

During the 2014 AFC Championship game between the Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts, which the Pats won, they saw under-inflated balls being used. After an investigation, the NFL committee penalized quarterback Tom Brady and fined the Patriots organization $1 million. It was termed the ‘Deflategate Scandle.’

Amid the 3-11 disaster season, Robert Kraft would probably prefer to stay away from controversies like these. Kraft has yet to issue a statement regarding the matter.

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