Tom Brady: 'I did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either'

Patriots quarterback blasts NFL for upholding 4-game deflate-gate suspension

File photo of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady walking to the sidelines after throwing an interception in the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game in Glendale
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady walks to the sidelines after throwing an interception in the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game in Glendale, Arizona, in this February 1, 2015 file photo. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld on July 28, 2015, the four-game suspension given to Brady for his role in a scheme to deflate the footballs in the AFC championship game that put the Patriots in the Super Bowl, REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/Files (REUTERS)

Tom Brady blasted the NFL’s decision to uphold his four-game suspension related to last season’s so-called deflate-gate controversy, saying neither he nor anyone in the New England Patriots organization did anything wrong, and that the league has “zero evidence of wrongdoing.”

“I am very disappointed by the NFL’s decision,” Brady said in a statement posted to Facebook Wednesday morning. “I did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either.

“Despite submitting to hours of testimony over the past six months, it is disappointing that the Commissioner upheld my suspension based upon a standard that it was ‘probable’ that I was ‘generally aware’ of misconduct,” he continued. “The fact is that neither I, nor any equipment person, did anything of which we have been accused.”

In a statement on Tuesday’s ruling, the NFL indicated Commissioner Roger Goodell based his decision, in part, on Brady’s “failure to cooperate in the investigation” and, in particular, the “deliberate destruction” of his cell phone.

“To suggest that I destroyed a phone to avoid giving the NFL information it requested is completely wrong,” Brady wrote. “I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances.”

He added: “Most importantly, I have never written, texted, emailed to anybody at anytime, anything related to football air pressure before this issue was raised at the AFC Championship game in January.”

At a press conference at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft called the NFL’s decision “unfathomable,” and apologized to fans for initially accepting the penalty.

“I was wrong to put my faith in the league,” Kraft said.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick refused to answer questions related to deflate-gate or Brady’s suspension.

“It’s already been addressed,” Belichick said. “We’re going to continue to get the team ready for the 2015 season.”

Below, the full text of Brady's Facebook post:

I am very disappointed by the NFL’s decision to uphold the 4 game suspension against me. I did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either.

Despite submitting to hours of testimony over the past 6 months, it is disappointing that the Commissioner upheld my suspension based upon a standard that it was “probable” that I was “generally aware” of misconduct. The fact is that neither I, nor any equipment person, did anything of which we have been accused. He dismissed my hours of testimony and it is disappointing that he found it unreliable.

I also disagree with yesterdays narrative surrounding my cellphone. I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances. As a member of a union, I was under no obligation to set a new precedent going forward, nor was I made aware at any time during Mr. Wells investigation, that failing to subject my cell phone to investigation would result in ANY discipline.

Most importantly, I have never written, texted, emailed to anybody at anytime, anything related to football air pressure before this issue was raised at the AFC Championship game in January. To suggest that I destroyed a phone to avoid giving the NFL information it requested is completely wrong.

To try and reconcile the record and fully cooperate with the investigation after I was disciplined in May, we turned over detailed pages of cell phone records and all of the emails that Mr. Wells requested. We even contacted the phone company to see if there was any possible way we could retrieve any/all of the actual text messages from my old phone. In short, we exhausted every possibility to give the NFL everything we could and offered to go thru the identity for every text and phone call during the relevant time. Regardless, the NFL knows that Mr. Wells already had ALL relevant communications with Patriots personnel that either Mr. Wells saw or that I was questioned about in my appeal hearing. There is no “smoking gun” and this controversy is manufactured to distract from the fact they have zero evidence of wrongdoing.

I authorized the NFLPA to make a settlement offer to the NFL so that we could avoid going to court and put this inconsequential issue behind us as we move forward into this season. The discipline was upheld without any counter offer. I respect the Commissioners authority, but he also has to respect the CBA and my rights as a private citizen. I will not allow my unfair discipline to become a precedent for other NFL players without a fight.

Lastly, I am overwhelmed and humbled by the support of family, friends and our fans who have supported me since the false accusations were made after the AFC Championship game. I look forward to the opportunity to resume playing with my teammates and winning more games for the New England Patriots.