New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has admitted that he had "no knowledge whatsoever" that the balls used by his team in their AFC championship victory over the Indianapolis Colts were under-inflated.
Reports have emerged claiming that 11 of the 12 balls were two pounds below the PSI level stated in NFL regulations.
"When I came in Monday morning, I was shocked to learn of the news reports about the footballs," Belichick told reporters. "I had no knowledge whatsoever of this situation until Monday morning. I'd say I've learned a lot more about this process in the last three days than I knew or had talked about it in the last 40 years."
Belichick also stated that he was unaware of his quarterback Tom Brady's football preferences ahead of the contest, which booked the Patriots' place in the Super Bowl.
"Tom's personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide," Belichick added.
The Patriots will take on the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on February 1.