UPDATE (2 p.m. ET): The DeflateGate disciplinary ruling now is more likely to be released next week, The Washington Post’s Mark Maske reported Friday. Maske added the caveat that that news is “always subject to possible change.”
ORIGINAL STORY: The New England Patriots reportedly could know their fate in the DeflateGate scandal soon.
A source close to the DeflateGate investigation believes a disciplinary ruling could be handed out by the NFL as early as Friday afternoon, the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe reported.
The Wells Report, released Wednesday afternoon, found “it is more probable than not that New England Patriots personnel participated in violations of the Playing Rules and were involved in a deliberate effort to circumvent the rules.”
The report also concluded “it is more probable than not that Jim McNally (the Officials Locker Room attendant for the Patriots) and John Jastremski (an equipment assistant for the Patriots) participated in a deliberate effort to release air from Patriots game balls after the balls were examined by the referee. Based on the evidence, it also is our view that it is more probable than not that Tom Brady (the quarterback for the Patriots) was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities of McNally and Jastremski involving the release of air from Patriots game balls.”
Independent investigator Ted Wells cleared Patriots owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and other coaches of any wrongdoing related to the controversy in his report.
Thumbnail photo via Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports Images
