The long-awaited Wells Report was released Wednesday and concluded the Patriots likely deflated footballs on purpose.
The report is complete with more than 200 pages of research, which includes text messages sent between Jim McNally, the Patriots' official locker room attendant, and John Jastremski, a Patriots equipment assistant. Their text exchanges almost don't seem real.
MORE: Read full Ted Wells Report | Know your 'Gates' | What Vegas is saying
The following exchange is after an Oct. 17, 2014, game against the Jets. Tom Brady reportedly complained angrily about the inflation of the game balls, and McNally and Jastremski sent the following texts (spelling errors are from the original texts):
McNally: Tom sucks...im going make that next ball a f—in balloon
Jastremski: Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done...
Jastremski: I told him it was. He was right though...
Jastremski: I checked some of the balls this morn... The refs f—ed us...a few of then were at almost 16
Jastremski: They didnt recheck then after they put air in them
McNally: F— tom ...16 is nothing...wait till next sunday
Jastremski: Omg! Spaz
Reading the text messages, it seems Brady often gets upset about his balls being over-inflated and these two assistants treat it as an inside joke. Here's another text exchange the two had Oct. 21.
McNally: Make sure you blow up the ball to look like a rugby ball so tom can get used to it before sunday
Jastremski: Omg
The two continued to joke around with one another a few days later on Oct. 23. This is three days before a game against the Bears.
Jastremski: Can‟t wait to give you your needle this week :)
McNally: F— tom....make sure the pump is attached to the needle.....f—in watermelons coming
Jastremski: So angry
McNally: The only thing deflating sun..is his passing rating
McNally with the zinger! Although Brady's passer rating did not deflate that game. He actually had an incredible game, completing 30 of 35 passes for 354 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished with a 148.4 rating (158.3 is perfect).
The next day the two were texting again, and seemed to hint Brady gave them gifts in exchange for deflated footballs.
Jastremski: I have a big needle for u this week
McNally: Better be surrounded by cash and newkicks....or its a rugby sunday
McNally: F— tom
Jastremski: Maybe u will have some nice size 11s in ur locker
McNally: Tom must really be working your balls hard this week
Both Jastremski and McNally were interviewed about the contents of their text messages. They gave similar stories to the interviewer, but would not admit to any wrongdoing. They said the jabs were just jokes between the two of them. Jastremski was asked specifically about the "big needle" comment.
"He claimed that there are two sizes of needles and that McNally had made fun of him earlier in the season for providing a smaller needle. McNally provided a similar explanation," the Wells Report reads on page 81.
The Wells Report does not buy most of Jastremski and McNally's explanations. In reference to their excuse for the text message "Can‟t wait to give you your needle this week :)," the Wells Report responds, "We do not view these explanations as plausible or consistent with common sense."
There are more examples of the two texting each other back and forth in the report, including an exchange about T-shirt and shoe sizes. In a text sent in May 2014, McNally referred to himself as "the deflator." As funny as some of the texts are to read, they certainly hold serious value in the report.