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Deflate Gate: Tom Brady "I Didn't Alter the Ball in Any Way"

The Patriots quarterback takes the stand in front of the media.

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots star quarterback took the podium for an emergency press conference to discuss the deflated balls in the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Tom Brady immediately struck down the notion that the Patriots did anything wrong in the process.

"I didn't alter the ball in any way," Brady started. "I have a process before every game that I go through the balls I want to use for the game. I don't want anyone touching the balls after that. I don't want anyone touching them. To me, those balls are perfect."

Brady said that he followed the same process he always does for the game when picking out the footballs that he wanted to use.

"I feel like I've always played within the rules," Brady said at the press conference. "I believe in fair play."

Brady sounded nervous on stage and said he was surprised to hear of the allegations on Monday morning and that the team really wants to try and find out what happened. He also said that he couldn't tell the difference in the footballs from the first half and the second half.

"I have no knowledge of anything," Brady echoed of head coach Bill Belichick's comments from earlier. "I have no knowledge of any wrongdoing. I am very comfortable saying that."

He also admit to liking the ball at the minimum range allowed, with the 12.5 PSI, due to the added grip. He added that he wasn't focused on how the ball felt, so much as he was trying to read the opposing defense.

In possibly the most important part of the news conference, Brady said that the NFL has not yet contacted him about the incident. If that hasn't happened, this means that the league probably won't be concluding anything any time soon.

We'll provide more information once the league releases their final statement on the matter.