NFLRA refutes report that official was fired over 'Deflategate' incident

The National Football League Referees Association has issued a statement refuting a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter that a league employee was fired after allegedly selling some of the footballs used in the AFC Championship game.

As Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio notes, Schefter originally referred to the individual as a league official, which led the NFLRA to believe he was speaking about a referee. ESPN has since revised its story to make it clear that it was an NFL employee that was fired, not an official.

"The National Football League Referees Association tonight refutes an ESPN story reporting earlier today that an NFL official was fired in connection with the 'deflate‐gate' episode in the January's AFC Championship game," NFLRA executive director Jim Quirk said, according to Pro Football Talk. "The NFLRA requests that ESPN immediately offer a public apology to its game and replay officials and publish a retraction of story.

"No NFL Game Official has been fired in connection with the circumstances involving footballs used in the AFC Championship game. Our members have and will continue to cooperate fully with the NFL's investigation into this matter, and we request an immediate retraction of this story and a public apology to our membership."

Schefter's report came in connection with a previous report by ESPN's "Outside the Lines" that the New England Patriots tried to introduce an unapproved kicking ball into the AFC title game. The ball was given to Patriots locker room attendant Jim McNally by an employee responsible for collecting balls for charity, according to Schefter.