"rubbed, buffed, and massaged" the footballs resulting in an increase in the internal temperature of the ball...it would have the same effect.
Here is a video with Brett Favre (and a cameo by Aaron Rodgers) in which that exact process happens. I don't think it is too strange to believe this is similar to what happened with the Patriots footballs.
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12221498