Brady suspension could be cut
NFL: Pats quarterback still expected to fight for full exoneration from Deflategate
Roger Goodell on Wednesday confirmed there’s a possibility he’ll reduce — and perhaps even vacate — Tom Brady’s four-game Deflategate suspension.
During the NFL commissioner’s first news conference since Ted Wells submitted his controversial Deflategate report — and since the league imposed harsh punishments on Brady and his New England Patriots for allegedly scheming to let air out of game footballs — he was asked the following.
What does Goodell have to hear from the star quarterback at his coming appeal hearing to reduce or even vacate Brady’s punishment?
“The key for us is to be able to allow any information that Tom Brady and his representatives have — I look forward to hearing directly from Tom on that — and is there any new information, or information that he can bring more clarity to, or something that wasn’t considered in the Wells Report?” Goodell said at the conclusion of the NFL owners’ spring meeting in San Francisco.
“I’m not going to get into hypotheticals, but that’s the reason for the process. It’s why we continue to have an open mind and make sure that we’re going to do everything possible to understand all the facts.”
That opens the door more than a smidgen, don’t you think?
That answer came near the end of Goodell’s 23-minute news conference.
Earlier, he defended the findings of the Deflategate investigator he hired (Wells) and the Deflategate punishments of the executive VP of football ops he hired (Troy Vincent), pretty much as you’d expect — steadfastly, unequivocally, curtly.
In answering several Deflategate questions, Goodell sure gave the impression he is going to remain as arbitrator. But he stopped just short of confirming as much, giving himself an out in case “there’s some other factor that I’m not aware of.”
Goodell said he was unaware if a date has been set for Brady’s appeal. By rule, it is supposed to be heard within 10 days — meaning by this coming Monday.
But Monday is a national holiday in the U.S.: Memorial Day.
Presumably that extends the deadline to Tuesday. The sense emanating from the Brady camp is that a mere reduction in the number of games he’s suspended for won’t end his fight.
The 37-year-old, three-time Super Bowl MVP likely seeks complete exoneration. To those close to him, he insists he’s completely innocent of Deflategate charges.
Even if he turns over all cellphone communications and the NFL finds nothing implicates him, Brady presumably then would still be left having to prove a negative — that he didn’t do something sinister.
Did we say this whole thing is a ridiculous mess? Elsewhere in Deflategate, Goodell confirmed what the Wells Report implied — that the lack of full cooperation by Brady and the Patriots “was a factor in the discipline. Absolutely.”
On why it’s important that he hear the appeal, Goodell said, “One of (my) primary responsibilities is to protect the integrity of the game and do what’s right for the game of football. It’s my job here to make sure that we’re doing everything to protect the integrity of the game ... It’s my responsibility and it’s something that we’ve had in place for a long time.”