Plenty of New England Patriots fans have been wanting NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to apologize to Tom Brady for at least the past year, and now, one Yahoo! Sports writer has their backs.
The NFL avoided a potential second Deflategate scandal — or perhaps just came to its senses — by dismissing the fact that the New York Giants discovered two footballs used by the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 13 matchup came in under the minimum PSI when tested. The drop in pressure can easily be explained by the cold weather in Pittsburgh that night, and it’s good that the NFL finally understands that.
But that raised a red flag for Dan Wetzel.
“Only now it’s clear the NFL acknowledges and accepts Ideal Gas Law,” Wetzel wrote Tuesday. “If not, how does an 11.4 reading merit no further investigation? Why are cell phones not being seized and every last intern nickname questioned? And if the league quickly determined no one could have tampered with the footballs and yet the footballs still measured in at 11.4, well …
“A rookie lawyer could destroy this case.”
For Wetzel, it’s about Brady’s reputation. The NFL’s framing of the Patriots and their star quarterback as cheaters fit a neat little narrative for the league’s most hated team, and Brady, who arguably is the greatest quarterback of all time, took all the blame.
Wetzel believes Brady deserves to be absolved, especially considering the way he’s handled it all.
“He can’t get his four games back, but he’s still looking for his reputation,” Wetzel wrote. “You can guard and test the footballs all you want. He’s the same great player, home or away, indoors or out, warm or cold.
“Despite getting pummeled publicly, he has handled his side with dignity. He tried to defend himself legally but he has never ripped the league or blasted Goodell.”
Wetzel is right on many fronts, of course, but we have a feeling Goodell doesn’t have any plans of apologizing any time soon.
Read what Brady had to say about “Deflategate 2” >>
Thumbnail photo via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports Images
