New England Patriots

4. Deflategate officially ends

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:14 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated

545 days after Deflategate began, it ended with a Facebook message from Tom Brady stating he would “no longer proceed with the legal process.” Brady was simply out of legal options. The NFL won back its four-game suspension after the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned Judge Richard Berman's earlier decision to erase the suspension. Brady’s appeal was rejected, meaning his only remaining option was the Supreme Court, which most observers viewed as a long-shot. —Melissa Jacobs