It has been four weeks in the NFL since the greatest of all time has been on the field. Dating back to Super Bowl forty-nine, a ball-deflation scandal that was more ridiculous than the clowns running around New England today. Tom Brady fought the NFL in court and won, preventing suspension in the 2015-16 season.
After a disappointing loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game in January 2016, the Patriots lost a few faces and gained some new, just like they do every season. The difference with this season was that Roger Goodell had new plans in the off-season, plans to bring Tom Brady to justice for an unspeakable crime; the deflation of precious pigskin. No NFL Commissioner could let an act such as this stand. It was clear after the 45-7 result of the 2015 AFC Championship game: the Colts had lost not because they were out-played immensely, but because the football which Andrew Luck had to work with was not at an appropriate level of air pressure. I must commend Goodell for catching this outrageous act, because who knows how many other quarterbacks would have been victimized by the mastermind Brady’s deflated footballs.
In a league where crimes such as substance and child abuse are present, the league could not have this criminal ball-deflator at large, so they placed upon Brady a four-game suspension for this hideous act, a suspension that matches the penalty for actions such as abusing drugs. It was a long fight which went to trial numerous times, but in the end Tom had enough, and did not push to further appeal the sentence. This placed Jimmy Garoppolo (the handsome guy who followed in Tom’s footsteps) at the helm of the Pats offense. Professional sports experts had their doubts, saying the team would win a game if they were lucky. They won three, and the best part is that at one point the Patriots were down to their rookie third string quarterback Jacoby Brissett, with Julian Edelman (wide receiver) as his backup. If this does not prove how unstoppable New England is as a team, then nothing does.
What’s unfortunate for the rest of the country is that Tom is back. This thirty-nine year old hall-of-famer will return this Sunday, whether you call him a ball-deflator or not. Stay mad at him if you want, but Tom does not care about your whining and complaining, and he could not care less about your thoughts on him. Thankfully even though Roger Goodell’s grand attempt to stop the Patriots was foiled by… well….. the Patriots, the team is heading into week five with an impressive 3-1 record.
The Patriots have had one goal this whole time, not to cause a ruckus with deflated footballs, but to do their job. No matter which “America’s Team” decides to copy this statement, we all know there can only be one GOAT. That GOAT is Tom Brady. You can accuse the guy of anything, however he knows that your accusations are false, and quite frankly couldn’t care less what they are. Brady will return to this league with one goal: to do his job. Now we will once again bare witness to the sixth-round pick turned legend.