Bill Belichick will never be mistaken for Jack Benny, but the Patriots coach does have a sense of humor. Or at least he did while sitting down with David Letterman Wednesday. The laconic coach joined the parade of Patriots — primarily Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and Malcom Butler — who have been making the media rounds since the team’s stunning Super Bowl XLIX win. It was actually Belichick’s second sitdown with Letterman on “The Late Show.” The normally humorless Hooded One last chatted with Dave in 2004, after the Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers to win their second Super Bowl title. Wednesday, Belichick was a good sport when Letterman had some fun and questioned him about Deflategate:
Letterman: “You know exactly what happened. I know you know exactly what happened. You know I know you know. And what it was was some kind of horseplay. Am I right?”
Belichick: “No.” (Letterman, audience laugh)
Letterman: “Wait a minute, wait a minute,
I was told it was horseplay.”
Belichick: (smiles) “Uh, no.”
Letterman: “And I’ve tested balls — we had balls upstairs earlier today. One was inflated properly, one was not inflated properly, and the difference is palpable, but it wouldn’t make any difference in a game.”
Belichick: “Well, we all know as the footballs get colder, they deflate, scientifically.”
Letterman: “Right, but there was only one football that was deflated by two pounds. The others were deflated by what you would expect being outdoors. . . And then you got the kid going into the bathroom. He’s in there for 90 seconds. I can’t remember the last time I took a leak in 90 seconds.” (Belichick, audience laugh) “Are you that age where you have that problem?” (Belichick laughs) “But I knew it would come to nothing and I knew it had no effect on the game, and you could tell in your tone in the press conference and then Tom Brady also in the press conference, you could tell that it was nonsense. Now, where did it come from? You knew where it came from. Did it come from my Colts? Is that where it came from?”
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Belichick: “Dave, we’re just out there, playing the game, doing the best we can.” (Audience laughs, applauds)
Letterman: “Now, here’s what I heard. I heard that the [Colts] guy intercepts the pass, and he takes the ball over, hands it to his guy, he deflates it and then they say, ‘Hey, look at this ball, it’s got no air in it.’ Is that what happened?”
Belichick: “We’re going to bring you in to testify and when we get the investigation next month. . .”
Letterman: “I’m ready, swear me in! I’m ready to go!” (Audience, Belichick laugh)