Deflategate
Deflategate is a controversy that emerged during the 2015 American Football Conference (AFC) Championship Game, involving the New England Patriots and their quarterback, Tom Brady. The issue arose when eleven of the twelve footballs used by Brady were found to be underinflated, which critics argued could give the Patriots a competitive advantage, especially in inclement weather. This situation sparked significant scrutiny of both the NFL and the Patriots, who had already faced criticism due to previous scandals, including the "Spygate" incident in 2007.
Following the game, an investigation led by attorney Ted Wells determined that the Patriots’ locker room attendant and equipment assistant likely manipulated the air pressure of the footballs, and suggested that Brady was "at least generally aware" of the actions. As a consequence, Brady was suspended for four games in the 2016 season, a decision he contested through the NFL’s appeal process and subsequent federal court proceedings. While a federal court initially overturned his suspension, the case ultimately reached the Court of Appeals, which upheld the NFL's authority to impose the suspension. Additionally, the Patriots faced penalties, including the loss of draft picks and a substantial fine. The Deflategate saga highlights ongoing discussions about integrity, regulation, and accountability within professional sports.
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Deflategate
Deflategate is the popular nickname, coined by sports media, to refer to the controversy and fallout between the National Football League (NFL) and Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots, relating to the use of underinflated footballs. The controversy stemmed from the footballs Brady used during the 2015 American Football Conference (AFC) Championship Game between the Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts on January 28, 2015. Specifically, a league investigation found that eleven of the twelve footballs used by Brady during this game were underinflated per NFL standards, which critics claim would make the footballs easier to grip, catch, and carry, especially in rainy weather.
Overview
Deflategate occurred at a time when both the NFL and the Patriots were facing intense scrutiny and controversy. The NFL was in the midst of settling a series of lawsuits brought by more than five thousand former players alleging that the league had downplayed the long-term severity and risks of football-related concussions; ultimately the NFL agreed to a settlement that provided up to $5 million per each retired player diagnosed with traumatic head injuries. In 2007 the Patriots were found to have secretly videotaped some of their opponents’ coaching signals, a violation of league rules (a scandal quickly dubbed "Spygate"). Thus, the Patriots and their head coach, Bill Belichick, already had a reputation for bending league rules.
Speculation that the Patriots were using underinflated footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship Game first arose when Colts inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson intercepted a pass by Brady in the game’s second quarter. A member of the Colts equipment staff measured the level of air pressure in the ball, found it to be below the minimum pressure set by league rules, and immediately notified the league office. The referees officiating the game replaced the underinflated balls with regulation balls for the second half of the game. Given that the Patriots shut out the Colts 28–0 in the second half, it did not appear that any actual or alleged tampering with the footballs affected the game’s outcome, which the Patriots won 45–7.
The NFL hired attorney Ted Wells to investigate the incident. In May 2015, the Wells Report concluded that it was more probable than not that Patriots locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski had deliberately released air from game balls after they had been examined by the referee. The report also concluded that Brady was "at least generally aware" of the tampering by McNally and Jastremski. However, the report also concluded that neither Belichick nor any other Patriots player was involved with the tampering.
In response, the league office suspended Brady for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season. Brady appealed the suspension before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and then sued in federal court to have the decision overturned after Goodell upheld his suspension. In a surprise ruling, the federal court overturned his suspension. However, the NFL subsequently took the case to the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which ruled in favor of the NFL regarding its authority to suspend Brady. In addition to Brady’s suspension, the Patriots lost a first-round draft pick in 2016 and a fourth-round draft pick in 2017 and paid a $1 million fine.
Bibliography
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Belson, Ken. "Tom Brady’s Latest Petition is Denied; ‘Deflategate’ Suspension Stands." New York Times. New York Times, 13 July 2016. Web. 2 Aug. 2016.
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McLaughlin, Eliott C. "What the Heck is Deflategate Anyway?" CNN. Cable News Network, 23 Jan. 2015. Web. 2 Aug. 2016.
Rapoport, Ian. "More Details on the Investigation of Patriots’ Deflated Footballs." NFL. NFL Enterprises, 1 Feb. 2015. Web. 2 Aug. 2016.