104 Days Later: Patriots Nailed by DeflateGate Report

The long awaited Wells Report on the Patriots' DeflateGate controversy was released on Wednesday, and well -- it doesn't look good for New England.

According to the more-than 200 page report compiled by independent investigator Ted Wells, The Patriots deliberately deflated balls that had been previously inspected, and the quarterback Tom Brady was likely aware of the practice. 

Read the full Wells Report

"Based on the evidence developed in connection with the investigation and summarized in this Report, we have concluded that it is more probable than not that New England Patriots personnel participated in violations of the NFL Playing Rules and were involved in a deliberate attempt to circumvent those rules."

The report also claims that "it is more probable than not that Tom Brady was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities of [the locker room attendants] involving the release of air from Patriots game balls."

The report does point to inappropriate activities performed by the locker room attendants  (Jim McNally and John Jastremski) and Brady, but concluded that neither Bill Belichick nor Robert Kraft were aware of the activities. 

On the bright side, it appears that no kicking balls were manipulated by New England:  "We do not believe that the evidence supports a conclusion that there was any deliberate effort by the Patriots to circumvent the NFL's Playing Rules with respect to the kicking balls used during the AFC Championship Game."