Tom Brady: 'I Didn't Alter the Ball'

When coach Bill Belichick today adamantly denied any knowledge of the Patriots' under-inflated footballs, suspicious eyes turned to QB Tom Brady. But in an afternoon news conference, Brady issued an adamant denial of his own, reports the Boston Globe. “I didn’t alter the ball in any way,” Brady said. “I have no knowledge of any wrongdoing. I’m very comfortable saying that." He added that he checked the balls prior to the game, as per usual, and they were "perfect." He said he noticed no difference during the game.

NBC News provides a fuller quote from Brady about his pre-game ritual:

• “I have a process I go through before every game where I go in and pick the balls—the footballs that I want to use for the game. Our equipment guys do a great job of breaking the balls in. They have a process that they go through. When I pick those footballs out, at that point, to me, they’re perfect. I don’t want anyone touching the balls after that, I don’t want anyone rubbing them, putting any air in, taking any air out, to me those balls are perfect and that’s what I expect when I’m on the field.”

(More Tom Brady stories.)