Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
Sign in to follow this  

NFL: Super Bowl Balls To Be Inspected


Midnight Man

As per its custom, the NFL will follow a modified set of procedures to prepare game balls for Super Bowl XLIX. Established long before allegations of underinflated balls in the AFC Championship Game, the process includes independent equipment managers and ball attendants. Still, the league "expects that the Competition Committee will review all of these procedures in the offseason. The league found earlier this week that 11 of the New England Patriots' 12 game balls were significantly underinflated during the AFC Championship Game. In that game, the Patriots' equipment staff supplied balls to referee Walt Anderson at the required two hours, 15 minutes before the game for inspection. As per NFL policy, Anderson marked each ball with his approval and ultimately returned them to the Patriots' ball boys. In the Super Bowl, however, the NFL will use Chicago Bears equipment manager Tony Medlin to organize the process. Ball boys were hired prior to last week's games.

Here is the full statement Signora provided:

"Like many aspects of our policies and procedures, there are modifications for the Super Bowl. "At the Super Bowl, the equipment manager of another team [bears, Tony Medlin] is in charge of the game balls and arranging for the ball attendant crews, which are hired before the Super Bowl teams are determined. The officials will maintain strict control of the game balls for the Super Bowl. "Many aspects of the regular-season process are in place. The Super Bowl teams receive balls to work with during practice as per our policies. The balls are then returned to the league late next week. "We would expect that the Competition Committee will review all of these procedures in the offseason." The scope of that review will depend in part on the league's ongoing investigation into the AFC Championship Game. Thursday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he had "no explanation" for the underinflated balls.

Get Your Very Own 2014 NFL Trading Card Set: just click here

Sign in to follow this  


User Feedback

Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.



Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

A
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...