Welcome to Deflategate, the sequel.
Well, not quite…but similar!
According to a report from Mark Daniels of Mass Live, members of New England’s special teams unit were frustrated in the locker room on Sunday after the officiating crew underinflated the footballs meant for the kicking units of both the Patriots and Chiefs by two pounds.
After the Patriots complained to the league, officials took the kicking balls to the locker room and discovered that the footballs weighed 11.0 pounds per square inch instead of the legal limit of 13.5 pounds.
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker missed his first field goal all season in the first half, and Patriots kicker Chad Ryland also missed a field goal attempt. Even more damning is that Butker’s opening kickoff only traveled to the three-yard line and was returned by New England’s Jalen Reagor. Butker’s kickoffs have traveled for a touchback in 87.1% of his kicks this season and on a mild day in Foxborough, there had to be an explanation.
The footballs traveled better after being reinflated at halftime.
Alas, it was an officiating error this time that caused the underinflation, not allegations of impropriety involving the Patriots’ organization. However, that didn’t stop NFL fans from having plenty of fun on social media at New England’s expense.
Here are some of the best reactions across the internet from NFL fans upon hearing the report from Daniels:
Deflategate II is the Christmas gift I wasn't expecting. Time to dust off the syllabus from my Deflategate course and propose a new one to the dean.
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) December 21, 2023
A few thoughts:
1) Air pressure in footballs drops during cooler weather. Who'd have thunk it?
2) Like in Deflategate I, the… https://t.co/1M5LCCUSUd
The only justice would be that we get a 1st round pick and 4 more games of Tom Brady for this https://t.co/wiqVgFc4Tu
— Jerry Thornton (@jerrythornton1) December 21, 2023
Don’t you even think about doing this to me again https://t.co/luCb0Hhidc
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) December 20, 2023
Patrick Mahomes should be suspended for 4 games, and the chiefs should lose a 1st-round pick. https://t.co/UpMZOU24qk
— Retired Tom Brady Burner 🐐 (@BradyCarried) December 20, 2023
It is more probable than not that NFL officials were at least generally aware … https://t.co/wyR2lsoFfp
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) December 20, 2023
Gotta take down Bailey Zappe before it’s too late 🙄. https://t.co/TGqatETjpX pic.twitter.com/zJIB3GjyOC
— Bart D. ⛳️ (@HeyCoachBart) December 20, 2023
https://t.co/mxDnXBmy8p pic.twitter.com/TUZ1vhaRKz
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) December 20, 2023
7th graders debunked “Deflategate” via the Ideal Gas Law, but no one listened.
— BrycenNFL 👑 (@BrycenNFL) December 20, 2023
Crickets now, because everyone realizes it doesn’t matter. Just a shame there were no apologizes to the Patriots and Tom Brady. https://t.co/Wv3XdzdUVL pic.twitter.com/wzHwjpc8rT
