Report: Deflated footballs were just below minimum requirement in deflategate scandal

Many of the 11 balls that were under-inflated in the New England Patriots' AFC championship win were reportedly only under the minimum requirement by a few ticks.

The NFL launched an investigation into the incident after a report suggested that 11 of the 12 balls used by the Patriots in their win over the Indianapolis Colts were intentionally deflated.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick staunchly denied the accusations along with owner Robert Kraft, who feels that his team should be owed an apology if the allegations against the club are not proven.

A report from NFL Network now claims that the majority of the 11 deflated balls were only a few ticks below the required PSI level, fitting in with the Patriots' explanation of the incident.

New England will be in action later today as they aim to win their fourth Super Bowl.