Towel company backs Chargers in NFL investigation

The San Diego Chargers maintain they didn't use an illegal "stickum-type" substance in their game against the Denver Broncos last Monday.

Now the Idaho-based towel company whose product is involved in an NFL investigation has come to the defense of the Bolts.

Jeremiah: Is Philip Rivers done?

Chargers QB Philip Rivers has been roundly criticized for his poor play. Daniel Jeremiah identifies three problems. **More ...**

"We would believe that every team at one point over the last 10 years since we introduced this product, that every team at one point has probably had this or does have this," Patrick Dugan, president of Gorilla Gold, told U-T San Diego. "I can say that I'm aware of several elite quarterbacks that over the past decade have been very dedicated to the use of this product."

"It does seem blown out of proportion."

League spokesman Greg Aiello told NFL.com and NFL Network on Sunday that the league is gathering facts after a Chargers equipment man was spotted concealing a possible illegal, sticky substance and distributing it to players. Turner said the object of suspicion is a towel bearing a substance that dries footballs.

League officials visited the Chargers' facility last week to evaluate the towels and gather information on how they are used by the team. If the Chargers are penalized here, expect equipment managers across the league to get busy trashing Gorilla Gold products.

Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.