Texts from DeflateGate report suggest Tom Brady knew footballs were underinflated
Ted Wells released his findings about the DeflateGate scandal from the AFC Championship Game last season in which the Patriots were accused of using underinflated footballs in their 45-7 win over the Colts.
The 243-page Wells Report can be found here. (Warning: The report contains foul language.)
It cited a series of texts between two New England Patriots employees — officials’ locker room assistant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski — as key evidence in the conclusion that the Patriots likely deflated footballs in the AFC title game — and that quarterback Tom Brady probably knew about it.
The NFL report said while many of the exchanges were an attempt at humor, investigators believed the jokes were based on actual events. Attorneys for the team said that the exchanges referred to a friend, not Brady, but investigators rejected that explanation.
Here are a few examples, taken from the report:
WHAT BRADY SAID TO THEM
The texts suggest Brady mentioned to Jastremski that McNally must have “a lot of stress” trying to get the footballs “done.”
▪ McNally: “Tom sucks…im going to make that next ball a ... balloon.” (Oct. 17, 2014)
▪ Jastremski: “Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done…” (Oct. 17, 2014)
INFLATION LEVELS
The two shared thoughts and jokes on how to overinflate the balls, and they had some choice words for Brady. They also said Brady was correct when he had complained that some of the footballs from the Oct. 16 game against the Jets were overinflated: Some had measured nearly 16 pounds per square inch, well above the 12.5-13.5 range the NFL requires.
▪ McNally: “Make sure you blow up the ball to look like a rugby ball so tom can get used to it before Sunday” (Oct. 21, 2014)
▪ McNally: “16 is nothing… wait till next Sunday” (Oct. 17, 2014)
BRIBES
The report describes exchanges that indicate the two Patriots employees wanted sneakers and signed footballs in exchange for tampering with the balls for Brady.
<bullet>McNally: “Better be surrounded by cash and newkicks (sneakers) ... or its a rugby Sunday” (Oct. 24, 2014)
▪ Jastremski: “Maybe u will have some nice size 11s in ur locker”
▪ McNally: “Remember to put a couple sweet pig skins ready for tom to sign” (Jan. 7, 2015)
▪ Jastremski: “U got it kid…big autograph day for you”
DISSING BRADY
▪ McNally: “The only thing deflating sun..is his passing rating” (Oct. 23, 2014).
This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Texts from DeflateGate report suggest Tom Brady knew footballs were underinflated."