New England coach Bill Belichick — under fire for his team using underinflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game — said Saturday that the Patriots had studied and simulated the process of ball preparation and he believes they “absolutely followed every rule to the letter.”

The NFL is investigating the Patriots after 11 of 12 game balls they used in their 45-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC title game were found to be underinflated.

“I believe now 100 percent that I personally and we as an organization have absolutely followed every rule to the letter,” Belichick said.

“I am embarrassed to talk about the amount of time that I’ve put into this relative to the other important challenge in front of us,” he said, referring to preparations to play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1.

“At no time was there any intent whatsoever to try to compromise the integrity of the game or gain an advantage. Quite the opposite. We feel like we follow the rules of the game to the letter in our preparations, in our procedures and the way that we handle every game we play as it relates to this matter.

“This is the end of this subject for me for a long time. We have a huge game, a huge challenge for our football team, and that’s where that focus is going to go. I’ve spent more than enough time on this.”

—Matthew Slater, New England’s union representative, said the NFL Players Association has recommended players avoid publicly talking about the league’s ongoing investigation regarding underinflated footballs.

“It’s an ongoing investigation,” Slater said, “and, in order to protect our players, we’re going to go ahead and not talk about it.”

—The NFL reportedly has warned the Seattle Seahawks that they will be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct if running back Marshawn Lynch makes an obscene gesture during the Super Bowl.

Lynch has been fined twice in recent weeks for grabbing his crotch on touchdowns — including a $20,000 penalty after he did it in the NFC Championship Game last Sunday.

Dean Blandino, the NFL’s chief of officials, told ESPN that the Seahawks have been warned about further obscene gestures in the Super Bowl.

—The New York Jets hired Pepper Johnson as their defensive line coach, one day after new coach Todd Bowles named Kacy Rodgers as defensive coordinator.

Johnson, 50, coached for the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2013 and joined the Buffalo Bills as defensive line coach last season.

Johnson played linebacker for the Jets in 1997 and 1998 before starting his coaching career.

—Cornerback Delvin Breaux, who starred for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, has agreed to terms with the New Orleans Saints, according to an ESPN report.

Breaux, 25, worked out with 13 NFL teams before deciding on New Orleans.

Because of a back injury suffered in high school, Breaux did not play college football, but he became a top prospect while playing in the CFL.

— The NFL reportedly will test a new replay system during the Pro Bowl on Sunday.

Rather than the referee stepping to the sideline to review the replay via a covered TV screen, the official will view the replay wirelessly via headphones and a computer tablet, according to ESPN’s Darrell Rovell.

The NFL also will provide video replays to players and coaches during the game, using the same technology.

It is part of the NFL’s agreement to give business partners better value for their deals with the league, Rovell reported. Bose and Microsoft provide the technology the league will use.