After an NFL investigation found that members of the Patriots’ locker room staff likely deflated their footballs on purpose — and that Tom Brady probably knew about it — the league has handed down a surprisingly harsh penalty. Brady will miss the first four games of the season, the Patriots will be fined $1 million, and the team will also lose two draft picks in upcoming years.
The investigation found that 11 of the 12 footballs used by the New England Patriots during the first half of the AFC Championship had less than the minimum air pressure mandated by the league. A referee had confirmed before the game that the balls were fully inflated — but sometime afterward, but before kickoff, Patriots locker room attendant Jim McNally took the balls into the bathroom and likely released air from them, perhaps acting on Brady’s orders.
the league handed down a surprisingly harsh penalty
Why might the Patriots want under-inflated footballs? In theory, they’d be easier for Brady to grip and for the team’s running backs and receivers to catch and hold on to during the game’s rainy conditions. Because teams always use their own sets of footballs when they’re on offense, this wouldn’t have helped their opponents, the Indianapolis Colts.
The penalty for is far steeper than many expected, and the Patriots have responded in kind, publishing a thorough, point-by-point rebuttal to the NFL’s investigation, even calling upon a Nobel-winning scientist to argue that the balls could have been deflated naturally by temperature changed. However, they’ve decided not to appeal their penalties, though Tom Brady is appealing his suspension, and it could well be reduced by a few games.
Regardless, the biggest impact of “Deflategate” might actually be long-term. Given previous instances of cheating by the Patriots, it could tarnish their legacy in the future.
What will happen next? Brady will appeal the suspension, and could well have it reduced to two games — something that commonly occurs whenever NFL players are suspended. And even if he misses the full four games, it may not ruin the defending champions’ season. The team has said it will not appeal the fine or lost draft picks.
But regardless, what’s probably the biggest consequence of all this is that the scandal could tarnish the Patriots’ long-term legacy.
The team’s Super Bowl win this year cemented Belichick and Brady’s legacy as one of the best coach-quarterback pairings of all time — they’re one of two duos to ever win four Super Bowls. But the team has now been punished for cheating on two separate instances during this remarkable run. It’s tough to say right now, but it could change perceptions of the Patriots dynasty in the future.
Source: Tom Brady’s Deflategate scandal, explained via Vox May 19, 2015
After an NFL investigation found that members of the Patriots’ locker room staff likely deflated their footballs on purpose — and that Tom Brady probably knew about it — the league has handed down a surprisingly harsh penalty. Brady will miss the first four games of the season, the Patriots will be fined $1 million, and the team will also lose two draft picks in upcoming years.
The investigation found that 11 of the 12 footballs used by the New England Patriots during the first half of the AFC Championship had less than the minimum air pressure mandated by the league. A referee had confirmed before the game that the balls were fully inflated — but sometime afterward, but before kickoff, Patriots locker room attendant Jim McNally took the balls into the bathroom and likely released air from them, perhaps acting on Brady’s orders.
the league handed down a surprisingly harsh penalty