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Jay Feely told Judge Berman about 2009 incident with New York Jets

By Jordan Campbell

Jan 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Bears kicker Jay Feely is interviewed by media at the NFL Extra Points Card Charity Kick to benefit the Pat Tillman Foundation at the NFL Experience at the Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Bears kicker Jay Feely is interviewed by media at the NFL Extra Points Card Charity Kick to benefit the Pat Tillman Foundation at the NFL Experience at the Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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As we wait for a decision from Judge Berman regarding Deflate Gate,  free agent kicker Jay Feely told Berman on Monday about a 2009 incident with the New York Jets. 

Raise your hand if you had free agent kicker Jay Feely being the difference maker in Tom Brady’s appeal case against the NFL?

Next: Ranking the NFL's Top Offenses for 2015

Feely was a surprise attendee in Berman’s courtroom on Monday and the free agent kicker may have established precedent. Feely, who has never shied away from a speaking platform, serves as a member of the NFL Players Association Executive Committee and may have provide a key piece of evidence in support of Brady.

While speaking on The Doug Gottlieb Show on Tuesday, Feely revealed that the reason he was in court on Monday was to tell Berman about a 2009 incident with the New York Jets.

Yes, there was a secret prequel to Deflate Gate.

In 2009, the NFL suspended a New York Jets’ employee after the employee made an attempt to use equipment that was not approved to prep kicking balls. There was no further investigation into the matter and the NFL did not appear to be concerned with whether or not the Jets’ kicker was aware of the attempt. The Jets’ kicker at the time of the incident was Feely.

Feely told Gottlieb that he was not disciplined for the incident.

"“We talked about the similarities in that case and the differences in the way the NFL responded,” Feely said. “I didn’t get in trouble. I had no culpability in that case.”"

It only takes a binge of “Law and Order” to know that if precedent has been set in a case, then precedent needs to be followed.

In 2009, the NFL presumably set precedent for improper ball prepping procedures when they suspended the Jets’ employee without any further investigation into the matter. Per that precedent, the NFL should have suspended the Patriots’ employee that took the footballs into the bathroom and let the issue die there. Instead, the NFL launched an investigation into whether or not Brady was aware of the incident.

It doesn’t take Jack McCoy to know that the NFL may have violated precedent if Berman does determine that the Jets’ 2009 incident was similar to Brady’s.

(h/t Pro Football Talk)

Next: Ranking The NFL's Top Defenses for 2015

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