Fansided

Robert Kraft is not happy with DeflateGate punishment

By Stanford Crissey

January 26, 2015; Chandler, AZ, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft addresses the media during a press conference after their arrival in preparation for Super Bowl XLIX at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 26, 2015; Chandler, AZ, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft addresses the media during a press conference after their arrival in preparation for Super Bowl XLIX at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Patriots owner Robert Kraft issued a statement on DeflateGate and he’s less than tickled by the punishment that was handed down. 

The DeflateGate saga finally found its resolution Monday, but it’s not one that many Patriots fans are digging.

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The NFL suspended New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for the opening four games of the 2015 season for deliberately deflating game balls used in last season’s AFC Championship Game victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots were fined $1 million and lost their 2016 first-round draft pick and a 2017 fourth-rounder. The punishment came after the release of Wells report, an independent investigation which found that the Patriots probably deflated footballs, and the Brady most likely knew about it.

The harsh punishment has outraged Patriots players and fans alike, and with good reason; it’s way out of line with the NFL’s previous punishments. It really can’t be summed up better than this tweet, from Dodgers pitcher Brandon McCarthy:

In addition to fans and players, the suspension and loss of draft picks drew the ire (understandably) of Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft issued a statement on the punishments yesterday:

"“Despite our conviction that there was no tampering with footballs, it was our intention to accept any discipline levied by the league. Today’s punishment, however, far exceeded any reasonable expectation. It was based completely on circumstantial rather than hard or conclusive evidence.“We are humbled by the support the New England Patriots have received from our fans throughout the world. We recognize our fans’ concerns regarding the NFL’s penalties and share in their disappointment in how this one-sided investigation was handled, as well as the dismissal of the scientific evidence supported by the Ideal Gas Law in the final report.“Tom Brady has our unconditional support. Our belief in him has not wavered.”"

An appeal of the punishments is almost a given at this point, and the Patriots and Brady would seem to have a good chance at winning an appeal, given the lack of hard evidence or precedent for such a harsh punishment.

In the meantime, New England will have to prepare for life without Brady for the first month of the season, which includes games against Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Dallas. Brady, the Super Bowl MVP this year, has not missed a game since 2008.

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