J.J. Watt treats cell phones better than he treats quarterbacks, apparently.
Houston Texans owner Bob McNair was asked Tuesday about Deflategate during a radio appearance on Houston’s Sports Radio 610. McNair pulled no punches in his assessment of the saga, even suggesting the Texans’ sack master would have handled the investigation much differently than New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, whose “destroyed” cell phone became a huge point of contention.
“I think if it was J.J. Watt, I think he would have been cooperative, and it wouldn’t be a question,” McNair said. “I don’t think J.J. would destroy his cell phone.
“The whole idea is that we want to make sure we have a competitive playing field that’s level for everybody. We don’t want people breaking the rules.
“In the minds of somebody in that (Patriots) organization, they thought (deflating footballs) was important. They thought it would give them a competitive advantage, and that’s why they did it. You just want to eliminate that kind of situation if you can.”
Brady was suspended four games for his alleged involvement in Deflategate. The Patriots quarterback appealed the suspension, but commissioner Roger Goodell upheld the ban. Brady now is appealing the decision in federal court, where U.S. District Court Judge Richard Berman expects to issue a ruling by the end of this week.
It’s been a messy situation, to say the least, and the drama likely won’t end even after Berman issues a decision. McNair wonders whether the whole debacle could have been avoided from the onset.
“I think (the NFL) could have handled it better, the Patriots could have handled it better, Brady could have handled it better,” McNair said.
“What escalated the whole thing is, Brady and the Patriots were going to cooperate fully, and then when it came down to it, they didn’t,” the Texans owner added. “That’s what really upset the commissioner.”
McNair’s pointed comments would make for an entertaining episode of “Hard Knocks.” The Patriots and Texans will meet Week 14 at Reliant Stadium, so that matchup just became a bit more interesting.
Thumbnail photo via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images
