In 2015, the NFL suspended quarterback Tom Brady for four games and stripped his then team, the New England Patriots, a first-round pick for the "Deflategate" scandal. The NFL alleged that Brady and the Patriots used balls that were below the NFL's inflation requirements during the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts that New England won.
The NFL based its accusation on the league's vice president, Troy Vincent, 's claim that the Patriots used balls that were below the required air pressure. But based on the latest book by Mike Florio entitled "Playmakers: How the NFL Really Works (And Doesn't)," he said league's executives jumped to conclusions about the air pressure inside the Patriots' footballs during their game against the Colts.
According to Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel, two details stood out in Florio's book. First, Vincent was the only source of the original "significantly deflated" football report that was patently untrue.
Goodell must say sorry to Brady
Second, Florio insisted that the NFL initiative for the 2015 season to record the PSI levels of all football pregame, during halftime and postgame was an experiment to see if the "Ideal Gas Law" or the principle that says air pressure will rise and fall based on external temperatures applies to footballs. Florio said that when the NFL found out that the numbers from the said experiment would exonerate Brady and the Patriots, NFL general counsel Jeff Pash ordered the data to be deleted.
So Wetzel insisted that Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL should do the right thing and apologize to Brady during the Super Bowl week and admit that the "Deflategate" was a farce so Brady can get a measure of his reputation back.
After 22 seasons with the Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady recently announced his retirement from the NFL.
Brady played 20 years with the Patriots before signing a two-year deal worth $50 million with the Buccaneers. After winning six Super Bowl rings with the Patriots, Brady captured his seventh when he led the Buccaneers to a 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium.
Brady-for-Garoppolo trade floated
After Brady declared that he's open to returning to the NFL, former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak floated the possibility of an interesting trade involving Brady and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Per Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports, Zolak said the Buccaneers could trade Brady for Garoppolo so the former could end his career with the 49ers, his childhood team. "I just think that's what Brady is focused on. He's been focused on it for two years," Zolak said.
