Breer: Brady Gets Benefit Of Doubt, Belichick Doesn't
BOSTON (CBS) - The NFL Network's Albert Breer came on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich show Friday morning to talk about the latest in DeflateGate after yesterday's Tom Brady and Bill Belichick press conferences.
The game in question, the AFC Championship game, ended late Sunday night, and here we are Friday morning and we haven't heard one thing from the National Football League regarding their investigation. And as we learned from Tom Brady's press conference at Gillette Stadium Thursday afternoon, the league hasn't even spoken to the quarterback yet.
What's taking so long, and what does the league have to prove to find the team either guilty or not guilty?
"The thing the league has to prove here is malicious intent. We've heard of other teams doctoring balls, quarterbacks liking their balls a certain way and all that stuff. The key here is going to be what happened after the balls were certified? That's why I think we have to hear from the officials," Breer told T&R.
"Two hours and fifteen minutes before the game, the officials certify those balls. If the Patriots didn't do anything to the balls after they were certified, then [the team] is in the clear. If the balls were altered after they were certified by the officials, that's where we're going to have the problem. That's where the Patriots will be in trouble. That's where it'll be a bigger story."
In speaking with people around the league, Albert Breer wanted to make clear this story is much deeper than just the pressurized air of 12 footballs.
"This story is not about deflated footballs. It's about a pattern of behavior. The reason why it's a big deal is because the Patriots have past history of breaking rules, and were sanctioned for breaking rules in the past, and rules that relate to competitive balance; this is obviously a rule that would related to competitive balance. That's the reason why it's a big deal.
"You listened to the two main figures in this yesterday in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and at this point, I think at least in the court of public opinion ... I think Tom Brady still gets the benefit of the doubt and Bill Belichick doesn't."
Both Fred and Rich disagreed with Breer, because they both felt like Bill Belichick came across yesterday as more believable. And it certainly stands to reason that the quarterback -- not the coach -- would care more about the condition of the footballs.
But Albert Breer doesn't necessarily see it that way.
"Tom Brady has never been accused of cheating. He's the one who, if you look at what he said, it's a little easier to take it at face value. Belichick has had a reputation of this stuff in the past, and obviously got busted and incurred $750,000 in fines and a loss of a first round pick over a competitive balance rule being broken. If [Belichick] was involved in this, he'd be a repeat offender."
Listen below for the full discussion:
Tune in to Super Bowl XLIX on 98.5 The Sports Hub -- the flagship station of the New England Patriots. It's the only place to hear Bob Socci & Scott Zolak's local call of the game!