Tom Brady

Hours after the NFL levied sanctions against Tom Brady and the Patriots for their alleged role in the doctoring of footballs, Brady’s agent Don Yee went on the offensive and heavily criticized the findings of Ted Wells’ report. This afternoon, Wells held a conference call with reporters to offer his rebuttal to Yee’s comments. Here are some of the highlights from what proved to be an entertaining Q&A session..

• Wells said that no one from Brady’s camp raised any issue with his impartiality and noted that owner Bob Kraft welcomed his appointment, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
• The team led by Wells only asked Brady for printouts of his text messages and not for his actual phone, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets. This is an important distinction because the quarterback cited privacy concerns with regard to handing over his phone.
• Outside of that, Brady was “totally cooperative” in the investigation, Wells said, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter).
• Wells said the Pats declined his request for a second interview with Jim McNally (per SiriusXM NFL Radio on Twitter). The second interview was requested, and denied, after Wells discovered the now famed “Deflator” text, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. Wells said NFL security talked with McNally three times, but he only personally interviewed him once, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
• Wells strongly rejected the notion that the text messages are circumstantial evidence, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets.
• Yee says that he took copious notes throughout the questioning of his client and Wells says he has no issue with the agent publishing those notes, Rapoport tweets.
• The investigator rejected the notion that his fact finding mission was a “sting operation,” Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
• NFL executive VP Jeff Pash, whom the league tabbed to co-lead the investigation, was just “a facilitator” and didn’t participate in interviews, according to Wells (via Tom Pelissero of USA Today on Twitter).
• The investigation cost the NFL “millions,” Wells said, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).

Tom Brady‘s agent issued a statement to reporters stating, in part, that the quarterback will appeal the suspension handed to him earlier today. Here is the statement in its entirety, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Facebook):

“The discipline is ridiculous and has no legitimate basis. In my opinion, this outcome was pre-determined; there was no fairness in the Wells investigation whatsoever. There is no evidence that Tom directed footballs be set at pressures below the allowable limits.

In fact, the evidence shows Tom clearly emphasized that footballs be set at pressures within the rules. Tom also cooperated with the investigation and answered every question presented to him. The Wells Report presents significant evidence, however, that the NFL lacks standards or protocols with respect to its handling of footballs prior to games; this is not the fault of Tom or the Patriots.

The report also presents significant evidence the NFL participated with the Colts in some type of pre-AFC Championship Game planning regarding the footballs. This fact may raise serious questions about the integrity of the games we view on Sundays. We will appeal, and if the hearing officer is completely independent and neutral, I am very confident the Wells Report will be exposed as an incredibly frail exercise in fact-finding and logic.

The NFL has a well-documented history of making poor disciplinary decisions that often are overturned when truly independent and neutral judges or arbitrators preside, and a former federal judge has found the commissioner has abused his discretion in the past, so this outcome does not surprise me. Sadly, today’s decision diminishes the NFL as it tells its fans, players and coaches that the games on the field don’t count as much as the games played on Park Avenue.”

The news, of course, does not come as a great surprise. Brady is well within his rights to appeal the decision and cannot be punished further for presenting his case. With the help of the NFLPA, Brady will likely cite the lack of hard evidence against him as a primary reason why he should have the suspension lowered or rescinded. Brady could also cite precedent as a reason why he is being penalized to harshly.

Prior to the suspension being announced, Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) noted that Saints defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove was suspended eight games for his obstruction in Bountygate, but he later had that penalty reduced to two games. Because of that, Breer had estimated a two-game suspension for Brady. After an appeal, Brady could very well wind up serving less than a four-game suspension.

In the latest sign that this really is a “new” NFL, the Patriots were hit with major penalties for their apparent involvement in deflating footballs during the playoffs. Quarterback Tom Brady, who seemed to be less than cooperative in helping with the NFL’s investigation, was sacked with a four game suspension. In addition to that, the Pats were stripped of their 2016 first-round draft pick as well as their fourth-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. Here’s a look at some of the reaction and fallout to the NFL’s surprisingly stern decision..

• Brady was scheduled to make $8MM this season and, as a result, will lose about $2MM thanks to the suspension, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
• Any action by the NFLPA will be at the direction of Brady, so they’ll wait for instructions from him, Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) notes.
• Goodell may have lost Bob Kraft as an ally today, but he isn’t going anywhere, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets. Beasley posits that he couldn’t have made such a bold move without gauging the support of the league’s 31 other owners.
• At this point, the Bills are the only AFC East team that will directly benefit from Brady’s suspension, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets. The Bills now only face Brady once while the Dolphins and Jets have to deal with him twice.
• Giants quarterback Eli Manning told reporters, including Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter) that he is “in no way…glad to see this happen.” However, he added that, “If someone’s breaking the rules I understand you’re gonna get punished for it,” (link).
• The cynic in Beasley (link) wonders if the NFL waited until after this year’s draft since the Pats will probably be picking higher than No. 32 next year.