New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's four-game suspension for the underinflated footballs during the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts was upheld on Tuesday by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Goodell reportedly cited new evidence that took place on or before March 6th, the day Brady met with Ted Wells and his investigative team. The evidence is that Brady ordered his assistant to destroy the cellphone he had been using since November 2014.
The report states that Brady destroyed the phone even though he knew that investigators had requested access to text messages and other information on the device. It is reported that during the four months Brady had the phone, he had sent and received nearly 10,000 text messages, all of which are now gone.
Brady destroying the phone was not disclosed to the NFL until June 18th, and was not confirmed until the day of the quarterback's hearing on June 23rd.
The Super Bowl champion claims that he always destroys phones and SIM cards whenever he gets a new phone. Goodell stated it as Brady's failure to cooperate with the investigation in an attempt to hide evidence. It was also stated that Brady was aware of the actions of other team employees deflating the game balls.
The NFL told Brady that if he acknowledged that he knew that the Patriots' equipment team were deflating the balls, then they would be willing to reduce his suspension to two games. Brady declined to agree with the offer.
The Patriots' star is adamant that he is innocent and plans to continue his fight against the suspension. He claims that any punishment must specify not cooperating with the investigation, rather than accusing him of breaking the rules of the game.
The former NFL MVP has authorized the NFLPA to fight the ruling in federal court. The Player's Association has confirmed that they will do just that. In federal court he will argue that the ball-deflation policy was not correctly applied to him, the Wells report does not prove he did anything illegal, the league does not have proper techniques on measuring deflation of balls, and Goodell was not a neutral arbitrator.
Goodell reportedly cited new evidence that took place on or before March 6th, the day Brady met with Ted Wells and his investigative team. The evidence is that Brady ordered his assistant to destroy the cellphone he had been using since November 2014.
The report states that Brady destroyed the phone even though he knew that investigators had requested access to text messages and other information on the device. It is reported that during the four months Brady had the phone, he had sent and received nearly 10,000 text messages, all of which are now gone.
Brady destroying the phone was not disclosed to the NFL until June 18th, and was not confirmed until the day of the quarterback's hearing on June 23rd.
The Super Bowl champion claims that he always destroys phones and SIM cards whenever he gets a new phone. Goodell stated it as Brady's failure to cooperate with the investigation in an attempt to hide evidence. It was also stated that Brady was aware of the actions of other team employees deflating the game balls.
The NFL told Brady that if he acknowledged that he knew that the Patriots' equipment team were deflating the balls, then they would be willing to reduce his suspension to two games. Brady declined to agree with the offer.
The Patriots' star is adamant that he is innocent and plans to continue his fight against the suspension. He claims that any punishment must specify not cooperating with the investigation, rather than accusing him of breaking the rules of the game.
The former NFL MVP has authorized the NFLPA to fight the ruling in federal court. The Player's Association has confirmed that they will do just that. In federal court he will argue that the ball-deflation policy was not correctly applied to him, the Wells report does not prove he did anything illegal, the league does not have proper techniques on measuring deflation of balls, and Goodell was not a neutral arbitrator.
