With 9:21 remaining in the second quarter of the 2015 AFC championship game, Indianapolis linebacker D’Qwell Jackson intercepted a pass by Tom Brady.
Upon reaching the sideline, Jackson tossed the ball to a Colts equipment staffer. The ball, per the staffer, felt underinflated. Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano and later team officials were notified.
At halftime, the NFL conducted a rushed measurement of the Patriots' footballs (each team uses their own in a game) and found the pounds per square inch levels (PSI) for some of the balls below league minimums. Twelve new footballs were used in the second half for New England to complete the 45-7 annihilation.