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Brady Lawsuit Confirms Ravens Warned Colts of Deflated Footballs

By Luke Schultheis

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According to the lawsuit filed by the NFLPA on behalf of quarterback Tom Brady, the Baltimore Ravens did indeed tip-off the Indianapolis Colts on the New England Patriots potentially deflating footballs in what ultimately has led to a nationwide controversy now known as DeflateGate

Colts head coach Chuck Pagano apparently received advanced warning through an e-mail retrieved by the team’s equipment manager Sean Sullivan to general manager Ryan Grigson:

"“Two concerns came up as of yesterday on footballs at New England,” Sullivan wrote Grigson. “First off the special teams coordinator from the Baltimore Ravens called Coach Pagano and said that they had issues last week at the game that when they were kicking (Baltimore that is) they were given new footballs instead of the ones that were prepared correctly. We would like to use the footballs that I will break in (Balls 2, 4 and 6) so that we know that we are getting nothing that has been tampered with.”"

Of course, this only confirms an earlier report from Fox Sports Jay Glazer in January, which said that the Baltimore Ravens had previously warned the Colts of the Patriots illegally altering footballs ahead of the two teams’ AFC Championship game matchup.

Oct 5, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano questions a call with an official against the Baltimore Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

With Pagano having previously served as the Ravens defensive coordinator before taking over top coaching responsibilities in Indianapolis, it makes sense that he would still have some old friends and allegiances in the Baltimore organization.

However, it still doesn’t change the fact that Ravens head coach John Harbaugh had previously denied that his team had any prior knowledge of any Patriots wrongdoing regarding the manipulation of footballs and then tipped off the Colts.

Either Harbaugh’s lying through his teeth or he actually doesn’t have a very good idea of what’s going on behind the scenes within his own locker room and team.

Regardless, it appears that it was well-known throughout the league that the Patriots could possibly be altering footballs even beforehand. It’s been said that the Colts had suspicions as far back as their Week 11 regular season game with New England. The Ravens warning the Colts may have simply been the tip of the iceberg.

The Colts prior suspicions then confirmed by the Ravens–not to mention paired with their biggest game of the season, and it was more than enough for Indianapolis to finally take action.

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