NFL Upholds Brady Suspension: The Ruling And Responses

The NFL upheld Tom Brady's four-game suspension for his role in the Deflategate saga Tuesday. The suspension had been handed down in May and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell heard Brady's appeal in June.

The NFL's announcement centered on the fact that Brady destroyed his cell phone in March after meeting with league investigator Ted Wells.

Only A Game has compiled a collection of links to primary sources about today's news:

From the NFL

From the New England Patriots, Tom Brady's Agent and the NFL Players Association

As the Deflategate saga has played out over the past several months, there has been a lot of discussion of the possible impact on Tom Brady's place in NFL history. (Just try Googling "Brady's legacy" to get a sampling.)

In January, Only A Game spoke with Maurice Schweitzer, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School who has researched behavioral decision making and deception. He says cheating scandals are often fueled by pressure:

"As we focus on winning, we’re less likely to focus on other things. And so the lines that were very clear to us before become less clear. And what’s merely competitive versus what is unethical becomes fuzzier and more people are likely to cross that line. So in a very competitive situation, people are more likely to cheat."

Schweitzer says when athletes and organizations cheat, they don't consider how they'll be viewed if they get caught.

"It’s very hard to forecast what’s going to happen in the long run. I think many people’s reputations turn out to be more resilient than we think. And I think that’s particularly true with a team, where the team has the opportunity to do things to change procedures and regain trust. It’s not easy, but I think they can do it."

But legacies will have to wait. The NFLPA closed its statement with the promise of an appeal, which could mean a lengthy case in federal court.