Even after the Patriots defeated the Seahawks in a thrilling Super Bowl, the Deflategate controversy re-emerged during discussion in the postgame on ESPN's Sportscenter, where hosts Cris Carter and Trent Dilfer faced off about how the issue would affect Bill Belichick and the Patriots' legacy.
When asked if recent controversies would affect how Belichick is perceived as one of the game's great coaches, Carter stated that the baggage would absolutely undermine Belichick's legacy.
"You know Belichick is a great coach, but you can't skip the controversy. You can't skip the last investigation," Carter said. "He's going to go down as one of the greatest coaches, but his legacy is determined by other players."
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Trent Dilfer, however, disagreed on some counts, addressing the idea that many teams bend NFL rules and that the Patriots' performance during the Super Bowl discounted most claims that the team had gained an unfair advantage.
"A smaller ball, because it has two PSI less in it, is not as wild of a competitive advantage as you made it out to sound," he said. "I don't think their ability to perform has anything to do with the pressure in a football."
Watch the full discussion below.