Beyond that, though, the rule assumes an intentional act, not just negligence.Fred in Lynn said:The balls were all under the minimum of the range, however they got there. I could see the NFL levying a fine against the team, claiming negligence, but not suspending any individuals. They won't, but they could.
"Once the balls have left the locker room, no one, including players, equipment managers, ball boys, and coaches, is allowed to alter the footballs in any way. If any individual alters the footballs, or if a non-approved ball is used in the game, the person responsible and, if appropriate, the head coach or other club personnel will be subject to discipline, including but not limited to, a fine of $25,000."
Based upon the language of the rule, if a team employee or player intentionally alters a football AFTER inspection, the suggested penalty is a $25,000 fine.
Now, if I were arguing the other side, I would say the Panthers were just negligent; they were trying to soften the leather in a cold game and because they did it right on national TV, they probably didn't know they weren't allowd to do it. Whereas a Patriots' employee repeatedly letting air out of balls out of sight demonstrates some type of malfeasance.
But that's not how the language reads. The League shouldn't say, well, it's only a $25,000 if a team fails to offer properly inflated footballs or it is discovered that they are using improperly inflated footballs, but based on the Patriots' acts, it was conduct detrimental to the league. The rule is already assuming someone altered the footballs intentionally