Quote Originally Posted by Jeff View Post
This is a non issue. Once the balls are checked in before the game it is on the officials. At least 1 or 2 officials touch the ball before every play. A play can not start until the official physically places the ball on the ground and "spots" the ball. If the balls were altered to the point it made a difference why did the officials not notice?

Answer, they didn't notice because it's no big deal!
Not sure if just touching and gripping and throwing make any difference.

Regardless, why have the rule if it doesn't matter. Brady has already said he likes underinflated footballs so this whole thing is fishy. Only game it might have mattered for was the Baltimore one. This last game - it wasn't going to make a difference. They could have played with a pee wee football and the colts would have lost....