Potential statement from Tom Brady:
1) My preference is to use footballs that are on the low side of the approved window (12.5 - 13.5), and this preference is universal in that it's my preference for OTAs, training camp, practices, regular season games, championship games, etc. There may be other QBs who prefer something different, but this is my choice, and the rules allow for a choice within that range.
2) Therefore on a day-to-day basis, the Patriot equipment personnel know that I will bring it to their attention if I suspect the footballs are inflated too high, as I want a consistent feel for the ball leading up to each and every game-time environment. The key aspect here is consistency...not a specific pressure.
3) There was never any game-specific strategy to alter the pressure of the footballs for any particular game...it's simply an ongoing preference of mine that transcends each and every game, and each and every NFL season.
4) I have never instructed anyone to lower the balls below the approved levels. To do so would be adding risk, in the event that the balls fail inspection and get inflated to a higher pressure than I'm used to (again...consistency).
5) I can't speak to the motivations or rationale behind specific examples of communication between equipment personnel, but I can understand the frustration behind some of those comments because I am a stickler for consistency when it comes to the characteristics of footballs...whether it be pressure, tactile nature, etc.
6) During the game in question (AFCCG), it is now apparent that the game balls I was using in the first half were substantially lower in pressure than the balls I was playing with in the second half. Yet I did not notice any difference at the time, and it did not appear to negatively impact my performance. If I've learned anything from this process, it might be to re-assess my own sense of preference with regard to pressure.
