Tom Brady's Cheating Scandal — What to Remember

By Brian Jones

Tom Brady is dealing with a lot now as he and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are having a losing season. Also, the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback divorced his wife Gisele Bündchen after 13 years of marriage. But these are not the only obstacles Brady dealt with during his time in the NFL. 

In 2016, Brady was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season due to his involvement in a cheating scandal called Deflategate. Brady was playing with the New England Patriots at the time, and the team was accused of deflating football in the playing game against the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 18, 2015. Brady was accused of knowing the Patriots were deflating balls as he reportedly destroyed his cell phone. 

"The most significant new information that emerged in connection with the appeal was evidence that on or about March 6, 2015 — the very day that he was interviewed by Mr. (Ted) Wells and his investigated team — Mr. Brady instructed his assistant to destroy the cellphone that he had been using since early 2014, a period that included that AFC Championship Game and the initial weeks of the subsequent investigation," NFL commissioner Goodell wrote in the final decision on the appeal.

Originally Suspended in 2015

Brady was originally suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season. But the suspension was vacated after United States District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Richard Berman heard the case. Brady led the Patriots to the AFC Championship that year.

Really Suspended in 2016

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(Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The NFL appealed Berman's decision in 2015, leading to the decision being overturned by the U.S. Appeals Court. Brady tried to fight the suspension again, but in July 2016, Brady announced he would accept his suspension and miss the first four games of the year.

Brady's 2016 Announcement

"I'm very grateful for the overwhelming support I've received from Mr. Kraft, the Kraft family, coach Belichick, my coaches and teammates, the NFLPA, my agents, my loving family and most of all, our fans," Brady said in July 2016 while accepting in suspension. "It has been a challenging 18 months and I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process. I'm going to work hard to be the best player I can be for the New England Patriots and I look forward to having the opportunity to return to the field this fall."

How the Patriots Did Without Brady?

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(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

As much as the Patriots missed Brady, the Patriots did just fine without him. With Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, the Patriots went 3-1 in the first four games of the 2016 season. And when Brady came back, things only got better.

Super Bowl Run

When Brady returned to action, the Patriots won all their regular season games except for one and went on to win the Super Bowl in one of the best comebacks in sports history. And despite missing four games, Brady was named to the Pro Bowl, the All-Pro Second Team and was named Super Bowl MVP for the fourth time in his career.

Return Comments

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(Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

When Brady returned to the lineup, he told Jim Gray in a Westwood One interview: "My teammates have been working their butts off, and that's what they expect of me. I'll take the days as they come. I'll certainly need the practices to try to get on the [same] page as all the guys who have been practicing the last four weeks. But I'm really looking forward to it."

Why Not Fight It?

In an interview with Oprah in 2018, Brady explained why he stopped his fight against the NFL when it comes to his deflategate suspension. "I realized I couldn't win," he said. "I just said, 'You know what? I'm going to use this as an opportunity to have the month of September off for the first time in 21 years. I'm going to take advantage of this.'"

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