Report: Footballs in New England were deflated. But don’t blame the Patriots this time

By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

The special teams footballs used in Sunday’s game between Kansas City and New England were reportedly underinflated. But you can’t blame the Patriots this time. MassLive.com reported that the Patriots complained to the officials during the first half of the Chiefs’ 27-17 victory that the balls used by the punters and kickers were too soft. The website reported that the specially marked “K-balls” were tested at halftime and found to be underinflated. The report is an ironic throwback to the 2015 Deflategate scandal that captivated the football world for parts of three seasons and led to penalties against the team and quarterback Tom Brady.