too early to discuss punishment for NE

It is still possible that NE used physics for the ball to be underdeflated.

What the pressure gauge measured is the pressure difference between the gas and the atmosphere. So a football with 12.5 psi measured pressure has a gas pressure 12.5+14.7=27.2 psi. The football can not have a pressure less than the atmosphere pressure (14.7 psi). If NE pumped the ball with warm air, say 30C or 86F with 12.5 psi, after two hours outside, if the temperature inside the ball dropped to 45F or 7.22C, the pressure will drop (12.5+14.7)*(45+459.67)/(86+459.67)-12.5-14.7 = -2.0434726 psi. Absolute zero temperature in Fahrenheit is -273.15*9/5+32= -459.67.

The investigation could last a long time before any conclusion.