Belichick says kicking balls for Chiefs, Patriots underinflated - ESPN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the kicking footballs used in the first half of Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs were «underinflated by 2, 2½ pounds,» and he deferred to the NFL as to why that was the case for both teams.

«We don't have anything to do with it. Were we aware of it? Yeah, definitely,» Belichick said. «As I understand it, they were all the same. I don't know what the explanation is. It was the same for both teams.

»You'd have to talk to the league about what happened on that. That part of it, they control all that."

MassLive.com first reported on the underinflated kicking footballs. Per league rules, the kicking footballs are supposed to be between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch, with officials in charge of ensuring that is the case as they are in possession of all footballs leading up to the game.

Referee Shawn Hochuli's crew worked the Chiefs-Patriots game Sunday in Foxborough. Hochuli is in his 10th season working NFL games and was promoted to referee in 2018.

A spokesperson for the NFL declined comment regarding the underinflated footballs.

Belichick said missed field goals by Kansas City's Harrison Butker (39 yards) and New England's Chad Ryland (41 yards) in the first half, and two kickoffs that almost went out of bounds, were plays in which «you could see» how the underinflated footballs affected the game.

Patriots players privately acknowledged that it was disappointing that the footballs weren't pumped correctly but noted that it was the same for both teams. Ryland, who is enduring a challenging rookie season with 13 field goals in 20 attempts, appeared to be notably frustrated in the locker room after the game.

Butker had made all 23 of his