The Patriots are no stranger to deflated footballs and the controversy that comes with it, though they seemed to be on the other side of things this time.
During Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Chiefs, the Patriots’ sideline noticed something off with the footballs designated for each team’s kicking unit.
It was discovered that those balls were underinflated by 2.5 pounds per square inch (PSI) because of an error by the officials, according to MassLive.
The mess-up was uncovered at halftime when the officials discovered the “K-Balls” had checked in at 11 PSI instead of between the 12.5 and 13.5 PSI range, according to the report.
The mistake was checked out after complaints from the Patriots prompted the officiating crew to look at the footballs.
“They were all sitting around at 11 PSI. The threshold is usually 13.5,” a source told MassLive. “[The Patriots] told the refs they were a little underinflated or they felt that way. At halftime, they confirmed and obviously put air in them.”
There are six new footballs that are opened in the officials’ locker room two hours and 45 minutes before the game specifically meant for kicking and are supposed weighed by the officials before the kickoff, according to MassLive.
The issue first became noticeable by the Pats, per the report, during the opening kickoff when Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker only reached the three-yard line on his opening boot down the field.
It stood out because 87.1 percent of Butker’s kickoffs had gone for touchbacks this season and over 70 percent for his career.
Butker and Patriots kicker Chad Ryland both missed on relatively short kicks — 39 and 41 yards, respectively — on back-to-back drives in the first quarter as well.
Butker, who missed wide right, notably hadn’t missed all season until that kick and had hit 78 of his previous 79 kicks from 40 yards or less, according to CBS Sports.
“Oh my goodness, a unicorn,” Fox play-by-play man said on the broadcast in shock after the Chiefs kicker’s miss.
Ryland, a rookie, has struggled at times this year and has made 13 of 20 field goal attempts.
The Patriots also reportedly noticed punts had lower hang times than normal, and according to NESN, New England punter Bryce Baringer was “visibly upset” in the locker room after the loss.
“I don’t know at what point it was missed,” a source told MassLive. “I don’t think they were leaking. It was a situation and it got mitigated in the second half.”
Both teams were perfect on kicks and point-after attempts in the second half after the balls were properly inflated, per MassLive.
New England, of course, was involved in one of the NFL’s most notorious scandals in the 2014-15 season when it was discovered that the footballs were underinflated in the first half of their win over the Colts in the AFC Championship game.
An NFL investigation into the matter eventually led to Tom Brady being suspended for four games and the team forfeiting two draft picks.
The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl that season, though this year they sit at 3-11 and could possibly land the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft as rumors swirl about the possibility of this being head coach Bill Belichick’s final season with the club.