David Letterman opted not to try to generate any new information from Patriots coach Bill Belichick regarding the #DeflateGate scandal. Letterman nevertheless may have generated some new information from Belichick.
First, a little clarity about my opinions on the situation. Even though Letterman is a comedian, he hosts a talk show. Which is premised on guests talking. Typically about issues currently relevant to them.
Indeed, Letterman and Belichick talked about #DeflateGate. But Letterman’s comments and questions flowed from the idea that it’s all nonsense, a dead issue that never should have been an issue, and/or an outright fabrication hatched by the NFL team that plays in Letterman’s home state. This overlooks the fact that the NFL currently is investigating whether the Patriots tampered with the footballs.
It’s possible that one of Belichick’s responses accidentally made news regarding the pending investigation.
Said Belichick after Letterman suggested that the Colts deflated the football that linebacker D’Qwell Jackson intercepted, “We’re gonna bring you in to testify when we get the investigation next month.”
By using the phrase “when we get the investigation next month,” Belichick possibly was referring generally, and a bit inartfully, to the report of the Ted Wells investigation, which based on Wells’ prior statements reasonably can be expected to be released in March. It’s also possible that Belichick let the cat out of the bag about a hearing that will be held in March.
The league office offered no insight on the question of whether Belichick was saying that an actual hearing will happen next month.
“Don’t know what it means,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told PFT by email. “It’s a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.”
Which means that the wait for further news on the status of the investigation continues. With all leaks dried up since Super Sunday, it’s likely that there will be no further information about the investigation until the final report is issued.