Tom Brady Finally Addresses Deflategate Suspension

Tom Brady finally addressed his Deflategate suspension and it sounds like he's taking out his rage on the practice field.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Tom Bradywill serve a four-game suspension for Deflategate. There won't be any more appeals. Today, after a Patriots training camp practice, Brady finally addressed why he is not appealing to the Supreme Court.

He said it was a “personal” decision.

“I’ve tried to move on from it,’’ Brady said, according to the Boston Globe. “I try to just, like I said, focus on the positive, being here with my teammates and getting better. You don’t want to go out and do anything but try to be a great example for your teammates. We’ve got a lot of competitive guys that have been out here on the practice field and I think that’s where the focus needs to be.’’

That’s a lot of sports clichés and platitudes, Tom. It seems clear that he’s finally realized he’s just not going to win this one.

You might remember Brady was initially suspended by the NFL for the first four games of last season—​his appeal through the NFL Players Association was denied—but a New York judge overturned the suspension, and Brady had one of the best years of his career.

“I’ve tried to just be as positive as I can be,’’ Brady said Friday. “I think that’s kind of always been my motto. I know over the course of my career, I’ve been faced with different things and I’ve tried to overcome them the best way I could or the best way I knew how. I’ll try to do the same thing.’’

His teammates say Brady has been passionate in practice.

“Oh man, (his intensity) is contagious,’’ said first-year Patriot and wide receiver Chris Hogan. “We’re out here competing every single day and Tom was fired up and it got other guys fired up, and it really is, it’s contagious.’’

Fellow receiver Matthew Slater called Brady “probably the most competitive guy I’ve ever been on a team with.”

Welp. If we know anything about the Patriots, they’ll probably still find a way to finish 12-4 and win the AFC East this year. That, and Bill Belichick will give no valuable quotes about anything.

Oh, and in case you were wondering about betting odds? New England is the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Some things never change.

Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com.

Latest in Sports