Phil- I expect most/all QBs would object to anything the league does or did to limit their ability to mess around with balls, and though Tom Brady may have lead this previous charge, I doubt he's an exception. I do feel like the league, being super reactive these days, is gauging how to act based on the media response. If this doesn't blow over, during the off season I expect them to change the way game balls are handled, and in turn expect QBs to object (however objecting in a way that won't make it look like they over doctor their game balls).
I think it's also unfair to make the conclusions about what Brady "did" and what Rodgers "does not do". I earlier said I think Brady probably did something, but did so knowing no one really cares... I'm actually now starting to consider things in line with what Steve B said. The Ball is inflated at 70+ degrees, then spends 2 hours outside at 40, it will lose some pressure. Brady likes the ball at 12.5, while Luck apparently likes it at 13.5.. so if Brady's ball deflates at all, he's technically in violation of the rule, while Luck has a 1 psi cushion. I hear the claims the Pats balls were 2 psi low were also not confirmed, but media types are reporting it as fact (love modern journalistic integrity). I also just heard there are ways to treat a ball prior to the game that will create higher pressures for a short period (while being measured), but will then drop later. If truly possible, would doing this be a rules violation, or is it just getting as close to the edge as possible? Doubt there's anything in the rules that cover this.. and it seems just about everything in the NFL will take things as close to the edge as possible- see Seahawks DB play, or any D lineman line up as close to offside as possible.
Scott- I take what a lot of people (QBs, coaches, talking heads) may or may not be saying with a grain of salt. Seeing how this has blown up, no one wants to be seen on the bad side of it... and a lot of media types may just be instigating for self serving purposes. If this was truly big deal to the league/refs/rules (before the press blew this story up), why did the refs simply fill the balls back up and play the 2nd half??? Apparently, they didn't contact anyone, league, coaches, about the under inflated balls, they just filled them back up, why? Because no one cared about this rule... but media types got hold of it and made it a big deal. I think most anyone who played the pro game, off record and without being influenced by this current story, would not think this was a really big deal.
Some media outlet, or the league, or the Pats need to take some footballs inflated to 12.5 psi, put them in a fridge for 2 hours+, then measure drop in pressure. I would love if there was a noticeable drop, or if there is any other simple/logical explanation and then maybe everyone would just shut up!!!
Regardless, of ball psi, I'd be nearly certain to say Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger wearing sticky gloves on their throwing hands has a far greater effect on grip than air pressure (as would major college teams using totally different balls).
I'll never be convinced this is a real big deal... but the media has definitely made it a perceived big deal.
ADDING: just read a little Peter King snippet saying a 1-2 psi difference was just about imperceptible, and even at 10 psi the football still felt hard (makes me wonder what psi on those semi soft game balls we used in HS was??) Admittedly I'm annoyed at myself for getting sucked in, and don't like Peter King, but glad he wrote this... and think if tested, the loudest of media blowhards would probably fail miserably trying to identify the under inflated balls in a batch of good ones.