Patriots' Deflategate Scandal Continues To Dominate News Cycle

The front page of this morning's Boston Globe features images of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady with the header, “At Center Of Storm, No Answers On Ball-Altering.” Yesterday, Brady said of the Deflategate scandal: "When I pick those footballs out, at that point, to me, they're perfect. ... I feel like I have always played within the rules. I would never break the rules." Brady: "I was as surprised as anybody when I heard Monday morning what was happening. I was very shocked to hear it, so I almost laughed it off thinking that was more sour grapes than anything" (Mult., 1/22). The N.Y. tabloids continued to hammer Brady and the Pats. See today's Back Pages.

The broadcast networks continue to treat the issue with extreme gravitas, as the story led all the nightly news programs last night and two of the three morning shows today. ABC, CBS and NBC all had reporters live outside of Gillette Stadium.

ABC’s David Muir said, “On this Thursday night, the breaking news: the scandal before the Super Bowl. The star quarterback, Tom Brady, answering the question: Are you a cheater?” (“World News,” ABC, 1/22). CBS’ Scott Pelley: “Tonight, caught in a pressure cooker: Is Tom Brady a cheater? …The integrity of the most popular sport in America is being called into question just days before its biggest game” (“Evening News,” CBS, 1/22). NBC’s Brian Williams: “Full denial from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and from his coach, as a football inflation scandal remains bigger than the upcoming Super Bowl, as the question remains: Who or what was responsible?” (“Nightly News,” NBC, 1/22).

ABC’s Amy Robach this morning asked, “Did he cheat? Superstar quarterback Tom Brady playing defense” (“GMA,” ABC, 1/22). CBS’ Norah O’Donnell said it was “deflection and denial” from the Patriots in an opening teaser with the headline “Hot Air?” (“CBS This Morning,” 1/23). NBC’s Matt Lauer said, “Pressure rising. The NFL under fire once again as Tom Brady reveals he’s yet to hear from league officials about ‘Deflategate’” (“Today,” NBC, 1/23).

NBC's Al Michaels said, "The government of Yemen has collapsed, we have terror cells in France and all three network news broadcasts tonight were led with ‘Deflategate’" (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 1/22). See Laugh Track for more discussion of the controversy.