The NFL is serious about ensuring that the issues raised in relation to the Deflategate scandal involving the New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady never come up again.
According to a recent report from the Associated Press, the league will consider rule changes that will alter the manner in which footballs are handled pre-game.
"A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press the NFL plans to change guidelines regarding the way footballs are handled before games," the report said.
"The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday night because details will be discussed at the owners' meetings in San Francisco next week. The procedural changes result from the 'Deflategate' saga. The league wants to avoid the possibility that teams could tamper with footballs, and any change wouldn't require a vote from owners."
The Wells Report, which details the findings of independent investigator Ted Wells into Deflategate - a scandal centering around the Patriots and Brady's alleged use of under-inflated balls during their AFC Championship Game victory over the Indianapolis Colts - resulted in a four-game suspension for Brady, the assessment of a $1 million fine and the loss of a 2016 first-round draft pick and 2017 fourth-round draft pick for the Pats.
The current rules allow teams to use 12 balls during a game - balls which are sent directly to the teams by the league and which can be broken in to a certain extent by quarterbacks and team staff, whether via brushing, often with a damp towel to remove oil, or via their use in practice during the week leading up to a game.
The balls must undergo a pre-game inspection by the referee after being delivered to the officials' dressing room two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff. The air pressure in the balls is then measured to ensure they're within 12.5 to 13.5 psi and adjusted by a referee using a pump supplied by the home team as necessary.
Balls that pass inspection are marked by the referee - they remain under the direct supervision of the referee until such time as they are delivered to the ball attendant just prior to the game.
