During the week before the game that led to the New England Patriots’ “Deflategate” scandal, a Baltimore Ravens coach tipped off the Indianapolis Colts about issues the Ravens had just had with game footballs and air pressure, the Baltimore Sun reported.
The Sun report was based on an email from Colts equipment manager Sean Sullivan to the team’s general manager, Ryan Grigson, which was released Tuesday among documents made public by the NFL Players Association.
According to that email, Ravens special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg called Colts head coach Chuck Pagano to warn him about the condition of the designated “kicking” footballs in the divisional playoff game the Ravens had just lost in the Patriots stadium.
Pagano had been a coach with the Ravens before taking the top post with the Colts.
Sullivan’s email to his GM said Baltimore was given new footballs “instead of the ones that were prepared correctly.”
As a result of the investigation into the condition of footballs at the AFC Championship Game between New England and Indianapolis, the Patriots were fined, lost draft picks and had starting quarterback Tom Brady suspended for four games.
Ravens officials have long denied any involvement in “Deflategate,” though Pagano’s ties to the organization have fueled much speculation.
“It’s ridiculous. It never happened. I never made any call. Nobody in our organization made any call,” coach John Harbaugh said before the Super Bowl.
“Just to make sure I had all the facts, I called Chuck Pagano this week and asked him, ’Did anybody else in our organization tip you off about any deflated footballs?’ And he said, ’No way,’” Harbaugh said,
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.