Ravens Refute Reports They "Tipped Off" Colts About Deflated Footballs
BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ-FM) -- More DeflateGate news. Rumors were swirling on Tuesday that Ravens Special Teams Coordinator/Assoc. Head Coach Jerry Rosburg tipped off Chuck Pagano and the Indianapolis Colts that the New England Patriots had used deflated footballs.
In documents released Tues, we learned Ravens asst. Jerry Rosburg called Chuck Pagano before AFC title game to alert him on deflated balls.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 5, 2015
In a statement from the Baltimore Ravens, Jerry Rosburg acknowledges that there was a phone conversation with Chuck Pagano about the game against the Patriots but not about the air in the footballs.
Ravens kicking consultant Randy Brown did mention the footballs in a text message to Chuck Pagano, which the Ravens provided, but it was about the referees rotating the kicking balls and the Ravens having to use a Patriots kick off ball.
More of the Ravens' official statement below:
"Prior to the AFC Championship game, no one from the Ravens talked to the Colts about deflated footballs. We knew nothing of deflated footballs. John Harbaugh has been consistent in his answers to reporters about this since he was first asked on NBC-TV at the Super Bowl."
Jerry Rosburg elaborated on the phone conversation that he had with Indianapolis Head Coach and former Ravens Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano:
"On or about January 12, 2015, Chuck Pagano called me to ask about a punt-field goal substitution play that New England used against the Ravens in the Divisional game (Jan. 10). At the 10:55 mark of the second quarter at the 34-yard line, New England sent its placekicker (Stephen Gostkowski) onto the field with the field goal unit. This caused us to defend the punt with our field goal block team. The play was blown dead by the officials because the Patriots were penalized for delay of game. Coach Pagano wanted to know about New England's substitution, because the coaching video does not show that part. There was no conversation regarding footballs."
As the Ravens stated John Harbaugh has been consistent with his answers to the media and he continued to reiterate that in his statement:
"I've been consistent from the beginning when asked about whether the Ravens tipped off the Colts about deflated footballs. I'll say it again – we didn't. We knew nothing about deflated footballs.
"As a former special teams coach, I know that members of the kicking group from teams talk to their counterparts all the time about conditions, including field, weather and footballs. I learned this morning that our kicking consultant (Randy Brown) sent a text to Coach Pagano on Jan. 16 suggesting to the Colts that they pay attention to how the officials rotate the kicking balls into the game. Coach Brown's text did not mention the Patriots and did not complain about anything the Patriots did. The Colts never responded to Randy's text, and he had no further communications with the Colts on this matter."
The Ravens also attached the copy from the text message from kicking consultant Randy Brown to Chuck Pagano:
"Make sure the refs rotate the kicking balls cause last week they wouldn't let our ball in the game. Their ball was done so poorly that it was nearly impossible to kick off deep…It was hard and not worked in well at all…Let Tom (McMahon, Colts special teams coordinator) know he can call me at any time."