Sports

Tom Brady’s Father On NFL’s Role In Deflate-Gate: ‘There Was No Sting? B.S.’

Christian Datoc Senior White House Correspondent
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As the confetti fell inside University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, Tom Brady Sr. couldn’t be prouder of his son.

Malcolm Butler’s goal-line heroics might have sealed the Pats’ win, but they wouldn’t have been in that situation had it not been for Brady, Jr.

No. 12 led New England’s fourth-quarter comeback through sheer force of will, highlighted by a near-perfect drive to take the lead just before the two-minute warning. His performance not only shone through two weeks of “deflategate” shade cast by the media, but also solidified his case as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

For Brady and the Patriots, winning the Super Bowl was their ultimate goal, and the ability to filter out the noise and still strive for success is what makes them a truly great team. Still, while a championship might make it easy for Tom to forget his vilification in the media, the same allegations left a sour taste in Brady Sr.’s mouth, and the Pats’ celebration gave him the perfect opportunity to vent his frustration.

Speaking on the field following the trophy presentation, Brady Sr. told ESPN that his son “is all class. For people to question his integrity,” it just doesn’t pass the sniff test.

“The drip, drip, drip way that things have come out … It’s a conniving way to do business,” he continued. “There was no sting? B.S. They’ve never gauged footballs at halftime.”

Brady Sr. is naturally predisposed to defend his son from the media’s criticism, but his comments echo a familiar sentiment held not only by Patriots fans, but also by anyone who followed the NFL’s two-week investigation into New England’s possible role in deflating footballs used in the 2015 AFC championship game.

How was the NFL’s “deflategate” investigation handled so poorly? Even if the NFL was certain that the Patriots had deliberately deflated their balls to give them a competitive edge, why would they allow multiple, anonymous leaks to derail the investigation’s credibility?

In the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, the NFL readily fed ESPN’s Chris Mortensen information uncovered by the investigation, but TheDC’s request for a response to Brady Sr.’s proclamation was met with tight lips. Brian McCarthy — the NFL’s VP of corporate communications — told TheDC that NFL is no longer “commenting on any aspects of the investigation” at this time.

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