Deflategate refers to the controversy over underinflated footballs used by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game played on January 18, 2015.

Quick Scoop: When Was Deflategate?

  • The game at the center of Deflategate was the 2014 AFC Championship Game: Patriots vs. Colts on January 18, 2015.
  • The issue became public when the NFL began investigating reports of underinflated balls shortly after that game, with the controversy erupting in the days immediately following January 18, 2015.
  • Over time, “Deflategate” came to describe the entire saga from the initial 2015 investigation through Tom Brady’s suspension and legal battles, which stretched into the 2016 season.

In short: if you’re asking “when was Deflategate,” people usually point to January 18, 2015, as the key date when the game was played and the events that sparked the scandal occurred.

TL;DR: Deflategate began with the Patriots–Colts AFC Championship Game on January 18, 2015, and the controversy unfolded through investigations and appeals over the next year and a half.

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