Deflate-gate: Did the Patriots use deflated balls in the AFC Championship game?

FOXBOROUGH, MA -- The NFL is now "looking into" whether the New England Patriots deflated footballs during Sunday night's rout of the Indianapolis Colts, ABC News confirms.

The investigation began after a report from an Indianapolis TV station saying one of the Patriots' balls had been taken out of action during the game to be weighed.

According to the NFL's 2014 rule book, game balls must be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch and weigh between 14 and 15 ounces.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is already dismissing the claims, calling them "ridiculous," NFL.com reports.

"I think I've heard it all at this point," Brady told WEEI-FM. "That's the last of my worries. I don't even respond to stuff like this."

Deflated balls are easier to grip in rainy conditions. If the NFL discovers they were used to gain an advantage, it could result in a fine or a loss of draft picks.

No NFL team has even been accused or found guilty of using deflated balls during a game, Yahoo News reports.