New England Patriots

Tom Brady not holding a grudge over Deflategate

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:44 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says he doesn't carry any grudge about Deflategate or animosity toward NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Brady was suspended for the first four games of last season for his alleged role in deflating footballs during their 2015 AFC championship game victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

The NFL also fined the Patriots $1 million and took first- and fourth-round draft picks from the team.

In a subsequent report issued by league-appointed lawyer Ted Wells, Brady was accused of destroying his cell phone rather than allowing the league to use it as evidence.

When asked specifically about Deflategate by MMQB.com's Peter King, Brady says he doesn't care what people think.

"But I guess the point is, when you subject yourself to a lot of criticism, what I’ve learned from myself is, I don't want to give my power away to other people by letting my own emotions be subjected to what their thoughts or opinions are," Brady said. "So if someone calls me something, that’s their problem. It’s not my problem. I’m not going to give away my power.

Brady fought the case for 18 months, ultimately dropping the case after an appeals court upheld the four-game ban.

“Well,” Brady said, “what’s the best way to fight? There’s only one fight I can win and that is how well I play. That’s the only one I can control, because I tried to play for 18 months and it didn’t work. So finally I said … ‘My team is going to go out and play great, I know they are going to, and when I come back, I am just going to do what I’ve always done."

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