The Latest: Police In Maine Asked To Watch Over Goodell Home
The Associated Press
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Here is the latest surrounding the suspension of star Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for using underinflated footballs (all times local):
12:45 p.m.
Police have been asked to keep an eye on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's home on the Maine coast following his decision to uphold the four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Scarborough Police Chief Robbie Moulton tells the Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/1fGov0Y ) that the NFL reached out Tuesday to alert police about Goodell's decision, which isn't popular in New England.
Goodell has vacationed for years in Scarborough and recently built a home at Prout's Neck.
The chief declined to say whether Goodell was at his home Wednesday.
In upholding the Super Bowl MVP's suspension, Goodell said Brady destroyed evidence in connection with the probe into whether he was involved in the deflation of footballs in the AFC championship game.
___
12:30 p.m.
The NFL Players Association says it will file motions in federal court in Minnesota later Wednesday challenging the decision by league Commissioner Roger Goodell to uphold a four-game suspension for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for his role in using underinflated footballs.
The union has had success in that court in many other cases through the years.
Moments after announcing Goodell's decision on Tuesday, the league filed action in U.S. District Court in New York against the union, saying the NFL commissioner has the right under the labor agreement to hand out discipline conduct that hurts public confidence and integrity of the game.
___
12 p.m.
New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty says the team supports Tom Brady in his fight against the NFL.
He also says he has faith in backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo if he has to fill in for the three-time Super Bowl MVP during his four-game suspension. McCourty says Garoppolo has shown to be a hungry player who wants to improve. He says the second-year quarterback has been listening to Brady and trying to emulate him.
McCourty says the Patriots will approach training camp the way coach Bill Belichick tells them. That means each player focusing on football, concentrating on his own job and trying to get better.
___
11:40 a.m.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft says his team provided NFL investigators with coach Bill Belichick's cellphone as it looked into whether Tom Brady or others improperly tampered with footballs used in the playoffs last season.
Kraft said Wednesday that the Patriots provided the NFL with every cellphone requested from team employees who weren't a part of the NFL players' union.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell cited the phone as a key reason why he upheld a four-game suspension for Brady for using underinflated footballs in the AFC championship against the Colts.
Brady says he replaced a broken phone only after his lawyers told the league they couldn't have it. He says he's never written, texted or emailed anyone anything related to football air pressure before the scandal known as "Deflategate" surfaced.
___
10:35 a.m.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick says the four-game suspension for star quarterback Tom Brady and the saga surrounding deflated footballs won't alter his team's preparation for the season.
Belichick deflected all questions about the scandal known as "Deflategate" on Wednesday, one day after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell affirmed the suspension for Brady for using doctored footballs in the AFC championship game. Instead of offering his take, Belichick referred to statements about the issue from team owner Robert Kraft as his team opened training camp.
When asked whether backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would get more practice in camp, Belichick replied by saying: "We practice everybody."
Belichick says every player needs to re-establish his level of performance.
Belichick says when asked whether he has spoken to Brady that he talks to the team every day.
He says the team is focused now on getting the team ready for the 2015 season.
___
10:30 a.m.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft says he was wrong to trust the NFL in the deflated footballs case and that he regrets not appealing the penalties against the team.
Appearing at team headquarters Wednesday, a day after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld a four-game suspension of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Kraft angrily targeted the league for its handling of the case.
Kraft said that the league's claim that Brady trashed his cellphone was just the latest in a series of statements and leaks designed to impugn the integrity of Brady and the team.
Kraft said, "I have come to the conclusion that this was never about doing what was fair and just."
Brady was suspended four games and the team was docked $1 million and two draft picks after the league found improperly inflated footballs were used in the AFC championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.
___
8:30 a.m.
Tom Brady is vowing to fight his four-game suspension for the scandal known as "Deflategate."
Brady writes in a 507-word Facebook post that he did nothing wrong, and neither did anyone in the Patriots organization.
Brady also denies destroying his cellphone to keep it out of the hands of investigators.
He says there's no smoking gun and the controversy is manufactured to distract from the league having no evidence of wrongdoing.
Brady was suspended four games and the team was docked $1 million and two draft picks after the league found improperly inflated footballs were used in the AFC championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Investigator Ted Wells zeroed in on two equipment managers — one who called himself "The Deflator" — and said Brady was "at least generally aware" of the illegal deflation scheme.
The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl for their fourth NFL title under Brady and coach Bill Belichick.
___
Online:
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)