It’s a poorly written and poorly enforced rule that has no real logic to it. The NFL really needs to answer why the PSI range is so small, what real advantage do they think come from being half a pound outside that range. And they need to explain why if this rule is so important balls spend so much time in team control after their supposed inspection. And if they suspend Brady they need to explain how his infraction is different from when Fox’s camera recorded the Viking and Panthers heating their balls on the sidelines and their only punishment was letters from the league.
Not all rules are made equally, and this one is pretty weak.
“And they need to explain why if this rule is so important balls spend so much time in team control after their supposed inspection.”
Also why they just don’t just check the current play ball regularly with all those commercial breaks if it’s that big a deal. I suspect the answer is that the NFL is willing to look the other way on pretty much anything, as long as whatever is going on gives offense an edge. They know that to most casual fans scoring = excitement.
A good question would be why other teams aren’t calling each other out over this all the time. The NFL has it set up like they want everyone to do this, so maybe the teams don’t want to be called on it in retaliation like checking pitchers scuffing in baseball. But each game means so much in NFL you would think any unfair edge would be screamed about pretty regularly.
Freegards
How many years did you play in the NFL or football at any level?
Hall of Fame wide receiver Chris Carter and others have explained at length the advantage gained by having under inflated footballs. Players know it is a big deal. It's like doctor a baseball.