Report: Tom Brady Denied Appeal

After months of waiting, the NFL and Commissioner Rodger Goodell announced they have denied New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady his appeal of a four game suspension. Brady faces suspension from the league for his role in the Patriots “Deflategate” scandal that arose out of the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

With the help of the Wells Report and the NFL’s own independent investigation, the league found that Brady destroyed his phone, which held possible,evidence regarding the case. Brady will miss games against the Steelers, Jaguars, Cowboys and Bills. His first game will coincidentally be against the Colts.

The league and Commissioner Goodell released the following statement and a 20 page report regarding Brady’s suspension being upheld:

"In the opinion informing Brady that his appeal had been denied, Commissioner Goodell emphasized important new information disclosed by Brady and his representatives in connection with the hearing.On or shortly before March 6, the day that Tom Brady met with independent investigator Ted Wells and his colleagues, Brady directed that the cell phone he had used for the prior four months be destroyed. He did so even though he was aware that the investigators had requested access to text messages and other electronic information that had been stored on that phone. During the four months that the cell phone was in use, Brady had exchanged nearly 10,000 text messages, none of which can now be retrieved from that device. The destruction of the cell phone was not disclosed until June 18, almost four months after the investigators had first sought electronic information from Brady.Based on the Wells Report and the evidence presented at the hearing, Commissioner Goodell concluded in his decision that Brady was aware of, and took steps to support, the actions of other team employees to deflate game footballs below the levels called for by the NFL’s Official Playing Rules. The commissioner found that Brady’s deliberate destruction of potentially relevant evidence went beyond a mere failure to cooperate in the investigation and supported a finding that he had sought to hide evidence of his own participation in the underlying scheme to alter the footballs."

Brady and the NFLPA are expected to take the NFL to court over the issue, which could put the suspension on temporary hold.  Until then, expect Jimmy Garoppolo to be the starting quarterback of the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stay tuned for more news and analysis as more information becomes available.

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