If the Patriots did deflate footballs in the AFC Championship Game, they apparently aren’t the only team that alters the pigskin to its liking.

CBS commentators Jim Nantz and Phil Simms had a lengthy discussion during the Patriots and Packers game Nov. 30 about how Rodgers likes to inflate footballs in order to get a better grip.

Nantz: We talked to Rodgers about “How do you like your football?” because you know, you can rub them up before the game, this is something you really kind of created this for everyone else in the league.

 

Simms:  I don’t know if I did, because the quarterbacks got tired of complaining. But he said something that was unique.

 

“I like to push the limits to how much air we can put in the football – even go over what they allow you to do. See if the officials take air out of it.”

 

He thinks its easier for him to grip – he likes them tight. Of course, he has very big hands and you can tell that by watching him play.

 

Nantz: You’ve never heard of a guy really desiring the football to be fat and overinflated, correct?

 

Simms: Everybody wants it smaller and soft so they can dig their fingers into it. … You know, the officials do check those footballs, and sometimes you can get lucky and put an extra half a pound of air in there to help Aaron Rodgers out.

The Colts accused the Patriots of deflating footballs on the sideline Sunday. WCVB’s Mike Lynch reports Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson turned in a ball he thought wasn’t up to regulation after he picked Tom Brady off in the second quarter.

NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino said Monday the league will investigate whether the Patriots were letting air out of the footballs in an effort to make them easier to grip in the pouring rain. The Patriots will reportedly lose draft picks if the league finds the allegations to be true.

There’s no word on whether the league will look into the Packers’ supposed practice of inflating footballs.

Every team seems to look for an advantage.
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