Deflategate

Deflategate scandal
DateJanuary 18, 2015
DurationJanuary 18, 2015–October 9, 2016
VenueNFL
ParticipantsTom Brady, Bill Belichick, Roger Goodell, NFL officials, referees, and equipment staff
Outcome$1 million fine for the New England Patriots, a 4–game suspension for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, docked draft selections, rule changes

The Deflategate scandal was a National Football League (NFL) controversy in the United States involving the allegation that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ordered the deliberate deflation of footballs that were used in the Patriots' victory against the Indianapolis Colts during the 2014 AFC Championship Game on January 18, 2015. The controversy resulted in Brady being suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season, while the Patriots was fined $1 million and forfeited two draft selections in 2016.[1]

For his alleged part in the scandal, Brady's suspension was originally to be implemented during the 2015 regular season.[2] Brady successfully appealed the suspension in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, allowing him to resume his playing duties for the entirety of 2015.[3] However, following the conclusion of the season, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reinstated Brady's four-game suspension, which became effective for the 2016 regular season.[4] After losing a request for a rehearing, Brady announced he would accept the suspension and missed the season's first four games. Brady was later reinstated as the Patriots' starting quarterback on October 9, 2016, versus the Cleveland Browns, concluding the events of Deflategate.[5][6] The controversy remained a topic of discussion during the season, which concluded with the Patriots winning Super Bowl LI and Brady being named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game. The season also saw the NFL change the procedure for monitoring football pressure, conducting air pressure spot-checks during halftime of games.[7]

In February 2022, it was revealed by sportswriter Mike Florio that the NFL falsified information about the scandal and deleted data that would have cleared the Patriots of wrongdoing, as the data from the spot-checks were never released and ultimately expunged on orders from NFL general counsel Jeff Pash.[8]

  1. ^ Hirschhorn, Jason (May 11, 2015). "Patriots lose 2016 1st-round pick, fined $1 million for DeflateGate role". SBNation.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  2. ^ Reiss, Mike (July 28, 2015). "NFL's statement on upholding Tom Brady's suspension at four games". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  3. ^ Keeney, Tim (September 3, 2015). "Full Text of Judge Richard Berman's Tom Brady Ruling". Heavy.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  4. ^ Orr, Connor (April 25, 2016). "Tom Brady's four-game suspension reinstated by court". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  5. ^ Orr, Conor (July 15, 2016). "Tom Brady won't further pursue suspension appeal". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  6. ^ Reyes, Lorenzo (July 15, 2016). "Tom Brady announces he won't fight Deflategate suspension further in court". USA Today. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  7. ^ "NFL Game Ball Procedures". Operations.NFL.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  8. ^ "From Playmakers: NFL general counsel Jeff Pash ordered expungement of 2015 air-pressure measurements". NBC Sports. February 8, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2024.