National Football League
Report: Pats employee tried to get unapproved ball into AFC title game
National Football League

Report: Pats employee tried to get unapproved ball into AFC title game

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:19 p.m. ET

A locker room attendant for the New England Patriots tried to get an unapproved football into the AFC title game, ESPN's "Outside the Lines" reported Tuesday.

The attendant, identified as 48-year-old Jim McNally, reportedly is in charge of the officials locker room. The NFL is investigating claims that the Pats used deflated footballs in the game, which they won 45-7.

McNally gave an unapproved special teams ball to alternate official Greg Yette during the first half, OTL reported. Yette became suspicious when he saw the ball wasn't marked as an official ball and reported the incident to the NFL's Vice President of Game Operations, Mike Kensil.

On Jan. 26, FOX Sports NFL Insider Jay Glazer reported that a Patriots locker room attendant allegedly took footballs "from the officials locker room to another area" and stopped in a bathroom with the game balls for 90 seconds. That locker room attendant is a "strong person of interest."

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McNally, Yette, Kensil and the NFL all refused to comment.

 

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