National Football League

Namath downplays Deflategate, questions if Pats did anything wrong

Published May. 13, 2015 3:06 p.m. ET

foxsports

As the fallout from the Deflategate scandal continues to damage Tom Brady's reputation, there's one former quarterback who doesn't think deflating footballs is sports' biggest issue.

Hall of Famer and New York Jets legend Joe Namath thinks that performance-enhancing drugs are a far bigger issue and isn't completely convinced that the Patriots were behind the ball deflation.

"There are other sports where rules have been breached," Namath told the New York Daily News on Tuesday at the United Way of New York City's Gridiron Gala in Manhattan. "Performance-enhancing drugs, to me, is a far worse issue than what we're talking about with the ball being deflated a little bit. I don't even know that it was, mother nature does it on her own, like an automobile tire."

It wasn't just a former member of the Jets who was downplaying Deflategate. Former Giants wideout Amani Toomer and current Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara also were sympathetic of the Patriots' cause.

"I think it's much ado about nothing," Toomer told the News. "I think it's way too heavy-handed. I don't think it really gives any kind of competitive advantage to have a deflated football. I caught a lot of footballs in my day. I couldn't tell."

"Four games, draft picks," Amukamara said. "It seems like a lot."