The Baltimore Ravens have responded loudly and clearly to the assertion that they were the ones who tipped off the Indianapolis Colts and GM Ryan Grigson to the New England Patriots alleged use of illegally deflated footballs ahead of the AFC Championship Game last year. It was revealed yesterday by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe - stay with me here, it gets a little wonky - that Colts equipment manager Sean Sullivan emailed Grigson before the game to alert him to the fact that Ravens special teams coach, Jerry Rosburg, had called Colts head coach Chuck Pagano and warned him that there may be potential problems with the game balls.
The Ravens have now responded, en masse. From the Baltimore team website:
FROM THE RAVENS
"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."
FROM SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR/ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH JERRY ROSBURG
"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 place kicker (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."
FROM JOHN HARBAUGH
"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."
HERE'S THE TEXT FROM RANDY BROWN TO COACH PAGANO (sent Jan. 16, 2015)
"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."
