Patriots fans at Gillette Stadium and around Boston are standing behind their quarterback and saying they believe that Tom Brady didn’t under-inflate the footballs.
Thursday afternoon, four days after the AFC Championship game, Brady gave his side of the story and said he is particular about the way his football is prepared, but he has nothing to do with them after they are checked by the referees.
“Yeah, I believe him. I think it would be pretty difficult for any professional quarterback to tell, particularly in the heat of a game, if a ball is one or two pounds over inflated or under inflated,” Tom Rees, a Pats fan, said.
Brady may have laughed out about this air pressure controversy on Monday morning, but took a different tone Thursday. He said the integrity of the game is important. Fans we spoke to believe him and see no need for Brady or Belichick to purposely break the rules.
“I think the team itself, the franchise, they’re standup characters. They play the game with such great pride and passion, that it is hurtful. We’ve gone through controversies on the pass and this is just not something we would do,” Pats fan Ann Christman said.
“There’s nothing wrong with the footballs. They’re over inflated for Aaron Rodgers, he likes them tight. So what difference does it make? It’s a ball,” one fan said outside of the Cask N’ Flagon.
What is unmistakable, is that New England fans don’t appreciate their team being called cheaters, and they’re worried about the effect this could have on the Pats dynasty.
“That’s the thing that bothers me the most. I’m so looking forward to the Super Bowl, so proud of the team and New England area and to have a shadow cast on it is really upsetting to me,” Pats fan Lynn Christianson said.
Patriots fans also agree that the best way to put this in the past is to win the big game in Glendale.