Ted Wells has criticised the New England Patriots for their refusal to allow him to interview equipment staff member Jim McNally for a second time in his investigation into the deflategate scandal.

The Patriots were heavily sanctioned by the NFL for their refusal to cooperate with Wells as he believed that McNally had vital testimony relating to texts with colleague John Jastremski, but was denied a second interview by the club's attorneys.

Wells told reporters: "The Patriots provided me, in my opinion, with substantial cooperation except in one critical and crucial area - I wanted to do a second interview with Jim McNally. Jim McNally was the second Patriots person I interviewed.

"I wanted, after I interviewed others including Tom Brady, to do a second interview of McNally, to put other questions to him.

"I asked for a second interview, I said I would go to New Hampshire, I would interview him in the morning, afternoon or night, I would do it whenever he was free. And they said not only could I not interview him, they wouldn't even tell him of my request for an interview."

McNally and Jastremski were both suspended indefinitely by the Patriots for their involvement in the deflategate scandal.