After 18 ridiculous months, Deflategate at last is over. I'm actually somewhat surprised that Tom Brady opted not to challenge his suspension all the way to the Supreme Court (which obviously has much better things to do). But most legal experts agreed that he was ultimately going to have to serve the suspension at some point, so it's better to just do it at the beginning of the 2016 season and get it out of the way. (If they did take it to the Supreme Court and it was upheld, it would've started immediately, which could've been in the middle of the playoff push.)
Robert Kraft's reaction was predictable. So was that of all the Brady supporters who think he got screwed by the entire process. Just like a lot of other people thought he got exactly what he deserved. The NFLPA apparently is still going to pursue it, but their chances of success are slim. Just like Brady's chances of having the suspension overturned were extremely unlikely.
And let's be clear about something. What this case has taught us above all else is that the players DO NOT trust Roger Goodell. That's obvious. But immediately going to court any time the commissioner makes a ruling you don't like isn't the answer. That's not going to improve the relationship in any way. If anything, the prolonged legal battles that have played out in courtrooms across the country have done more harm than good.
There are no winners here. There haven't been any in a long time. Just like this ceased to be about the amount of air in footballs and what Tom Brady did or didn't know a long time ago. This was about whether Roger Goodell had the power to suspend Brady. And he did. The NFLPA gave him that power. Whether or not the process was fair is irrelevant. He was simply acting within his collectively-bargained authority.
Ultimately, though, the union only has itself to blame for this situation. They're the ones who gave Goodell the power to be judge, jury and executioner. Now, I'm sure that when the CBA comes up for renewal, that will be one of the main topics of discussion. But that's the only way they're gonna get that changed. All of this posturing and legal maneuvering is the NFLPA's attempt to get the court of public opinion to take their side, which doesn't usually take much (I personally think Roger Goodell is an idiot, for a number of reasons not related to Deflategate). That's not the point, though. It doesn't change the facts. Because as much as the players don't like it, Roger Goodell was well within his rights as commissioner to suspend Brady.
Brady, for his part, knew he was ultimately going to lose. I think he's known all along that he'd eventually be suspended. Even after his original successful appeal last summer, which allowed him to play all of last season uninterrupted. But when the appellate court reversed that decision, Brady knew he was out of legal options. He threw a Hail Mary and asked for another review by the entire court, which was denied. And his chances of success in the Supreme Court (if it even got to that level) were probably less than that.
Why else would he have deferred most of his salary for this season? By restructuring his contract, he saved himself nearly $2 million in lost salary. Likewise, the Patriots' schedule probably affected his decision to give up the unwinnable fight. After opening the season in Arizona on Sunday night, New England's next three games, two of which are in the division, are at home. There are definitely harder September schedules than the Patriots'. Brady's first game will be Week 5 at Cleveland, after which New England's next four opponents are Cincinnati, at Pittsburgh, at Buffalo, Seattle (after the bye week). Now, which of those four-game stretches would you rather he miss?
This also eliminates any uncertainty the Patriots might've had entering the season. Brady will still be around for the preseason, but Jimmy Garropolo is the Man for those first four games. They don't have to worry about when and if he'll be thrust into action. It's obviously not the ideal situation, but they know what they're in for going into it. And, who are we kidding here? This is the Patriots we're talking about. They'll find some way to turn it into an "us against them" thing and rally behind Garropolo. In fact, it's not hard to envision the Patriots going 3-1 or even 4-0 in September (I'm saying 2-2). And, even with Brady missing the first four games, they're still going to be the favorites to win the AFC East.
Garropolo is finally getting his chance. You know he's going to make the most of it. Just like Brock Osweiler, who turned his stint as Peyton Manning's fill-in last season, into a multiyear deal as Houston's new starter (and leaving the Broncos looking for alternatives when Manning retired).
Let's not forget how the Legend of Tom Brady began, either. In 2001, Drew Bledsoe was firmly entrenched as New England's starter. The former No. 1 overall pick had just signed a 10-year deal that March. Brady entered camp battling Damon Huard for the backup job. Then Mo Lewis of the Jets almost decapitated Bledsoe in Week 2 and suddenly Brady was the starter. We all know what happened from there. Fifteen years later, it still stands as one of the most significant plays in Patriots history (it doesn't trump Adam Vinatieri's two Super Bowl-winning kicks).
I'm not saying that's going to happen again. When the Patriots play the Browns in Week 5, Tom Brady will be under center. But he'll miss the first four games and we'll all put this ridiculous saga behind us. Finally, the focus shifts back to football.
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