Over eleven years before DeflateGate, former NFL quarterback A.J. Feeley says that Tom Brady and the Patriots were using doctored footballs. In an interview with 97.5 The Fanatic, Feeley told a revealing story about playing the Patriots in 2004, when he was a backup quarterback on the Miami Dolphins.
Prior to Brady and Peyton Manning forcing through a 2006 rule change that allowed each team to "customize" their own footballs (within a certain standard, of course), NFL rules had teams use brand new footballs provided by the league for each game. In 2004, however, Feeley says that the Patriots were using their own worn-in footballs during home games, leaving the opposing offense to chuck around a slippery new football.
“Somehow this beat-up ball from the ball boy was getting thrown in on offense for New England, yet when we were on offense this orange brand new ball was getting thrown in," Feeley said.
Feeley noted how a worn-in football (aka deflated and roughed up a bit to soften the leather) would give an offense an advantage. He knew something was off, but when he brought it up to the Dolphins' defensive coaches and players, his concerns went ignored. Shunned by his own teammates, Feeley went and asked the ball boy what the hell was up. The response?
“I even said something to the ball boy, and he gave me a smirk," said Feeley.
A smirk?
CHEATERS.
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[via ProFootballTalk]
