And the controversy known as #DeflateGate keeps getting stranger and stranger.
After previously declining to talk about the situation, Colts G.M. Ryan Grigson told reporters on Thursday that the Colts had indeed alerted the NFL to concerns about underinflated footballs before the AFC title game against the Patriots.
“Listen, you know, earlier in that week, prior to the AFC Championship Game, we notified the league about our concerns,” Grigson said, via NESN.com. “We went into the game, we had some issues, but we’re going to do what we can, and that’s participate with the league in the investigation and wait until the [Ted] Wells Report comes out. We really have no other recourse but to wait until that investigation comes about. . . . “I’m not going to get into specifics. That report should have that information for everybody, but just do my job and here we are. Hopefully everything can come out, and everybody will be able to have a clear look at the situation. . . .
“We had concerns, just like any General Manager would do, wants his team to play on a level playing field, and we took the proper steps to try to ensure that. It’s up to the league to make sure that happens. Again, if rules were broken, we’ll see. If not, that’s what the investigation is for. We’re just doing our jobs and trying to ensure we give our teams the best chance to win on a level playing field.”
Grigson’s comments conflict with the NFL’s position that the issue first arose during the game, not before it. Grigson’s comments also undermine the NFL’s efforts to conclusively prove deflation; if the league knew the Colts had concerns about underinflated footballs before the AFC title game, why didn’t the game officials log the PSI of all Patriots and Colts footballs before the game started?
They didn’t, which makes sense if the issue didn’t come up before the game. It makes no sense if the issue came up before the game.
Given Grigson’s latest remarks, not much makes sense about the entire issue. Hopefully, the Ted Wells report will provide some answers.