Jan 22, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (left) and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (right) talk before the start of the 2011 AFC Championship game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Amid the Deflategate scandal and Tom Brady's appeal of his four-game suspension by Roger Goodell and the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens released a statement refuting reports that the team ''tipped off" the Indianapolis Colts about deflated footballs before AFC title game.
Here are the quotes in the statement released by the Ravens:
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 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."
FROM (HEAD COACH) 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 [COLTS HEAD] COACH [CHUCK] 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."
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