According to MassLive.com, during the first half of the Chiefs’ 27-17 victory over the Patriots, New England raised concerns with officials about the softness of the specially marked footballs used by punters and kickers, known as “K-balls.”
These footballs were found to be underinflated at halftime, registering at 11 psi instead of the league-mandated minimum of 13.5 psi.
The Patriots kickers, who were not available for comment during
Thursday’s open locker room period, reportedly sensed an issue when Kansas City’s Harrison Butker, known for high touchback percentages, sent his game-opening kick only to the 3-yard line.
In the aftermath of the complaint, the balls were checked and adjusted at halftime.
Following these adjustments, Butker made two field goals in the second half, and all kickoffs for both teams reached the end zone.
While the Patriots have not officially commented on the situation, Chiefs coach Andy Reid stated on Thursday that he was unaware of any issues and expressed that he wasn’t concerned about the matter.
Deflategate, one of the most high-profile scandals in NFL history, saw the Patriots fined $1 million, docked draft picks, and Tom Brady suspended for four games.
The league found that the Patriots were involved in a scheme to provide improperly inflated footballs for the AFC championship game in 2015.
The controversy led to changes in the NFL’s procedures, placing pregame control of footballs in the hands of officials rather than teams.
