What should the NFL do about Patriots cheating?

[Pappy13]

Sean Payton got suspended for a year because his team was deliberately trying to injure opposing players. This directly undermines everything the league has been trying to do with recent rule changes and gameplay protocols addressing player safety.

And what the Patriots did directly undermines the integrity of the league which is every bit as important as player safety, maybe even moreso. Technically speaking the NFL actually encourages players to put their health at risk with every single play despite trying to make the game as safe as possible. They encourage taking risk all the while promoting safety. The NFL in no way encourages cheating.

[Phishfan]

The comparison is the correct. Payton had no knowledge of the bounty scandal but since it was his team and he is the defacto CEO of the team he got punished. Same here, if Belichick didn't know that's not the issue, he is the defacto CEO and he has to take the fall.

No, the evidence was that Peyton was fully aware of the bounties. The NFL produced an e-mail discussing a bounty on a particular player and Peyton acknowledged it.

"As recently as this year, Payton said he was entirely unaware of the bounties -- "a claim contradicted by others," the league said. And according to the investigation, Payton received an email before the Saints' first game in 2011 that read, "PS Greg Williams put me down for $5000 on Rogers (sic)." When Payton was shown that email by NFL investigators, he acknowledged it referred to a bounty on Rodgers, whose Packers beat the Saints in Week 1."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7718136/sean-payton-new-orleans-saints-banned-one-year-bounties

[dolphins4life]

i don't even know what to think anymore.  Everywhere I look I see a new report.

[VidKid]

There won't be an asterisk against any team because the cheating goes too far back in NFL history.

Stories about the 49ers & Steelers coming out from their Superbowl wins. Today we have NE, Atl, Jags, Browns or course the Saints bounty stuff...

If we're going to be accurate it really should just be:   NFL*

[MikeO]

Wells report is in. Pats will probably get off with a slap on the wrist but Brady comes off really really bad and the report all but says he lied to investigators

[Tenshot13]

Tom Brady 1 year suspension...we can only hope

[Rich]

Tom Brady 1 year suspension...we can only hope

The one time we won the division, Brady was out for the year. Let's really hope.

[Brian Fein]

Nah, instead, let's give him a trophy, a ring, and a free truck.

[MikeO]

As much as I would like to see the Pats get a harsh punishment, I don't see it coming. If Goodell did throw the book at them it would be refreshing and help his image some I will say that

[Tenshot13]

As much as I would like to see the Pats get a harsh punishment, I don't see it coming. If Goodell did throw the book at them it would be refreshing and help his image some I will say that

Not so fast...this seems pretty damning

Of all the elements of the Ted Wells report which cast Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in a poor light, a series of text message exchanges between the pair of guys who got game balls where they needed to be and when are near the top of the list.

The messages, not all of which are able to be reprinted here on a family website, give a pretty strong suggestion that not only was Brady in on the deflation, but that he was signing autographs in exchange for special treatment.

The messages between Jim McNally [the officials locker room attendant] and John Jastremski [a Patriots equipment assistant] show a level of detail and planning that indicates this wasn’t a random, or one-time occurrence.

The first exchange was after an Oct. 17, 2014 game against the Jets when Brady complained about the pressure of the balls.

Jastremski wrote “Tom sucks. im going make that next ball a f—in balloon.”

McNally replied: “Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done…”

McNally, apparently not a fan of Brady’s (or at least his level of attention of air pressure) made several references to pumping the balls up to “watermleon” or “rugby” size, since Brady preferred softer ones for better control.

Prior to the next game, McNally wrote: “The only thing deflating sun..is his passing rating.”

There was then a discussion of McNally receiving free shoes and gear, and prior to the Jan. 10 game against the Ravens, the two of them were in the equipment room with Brady when McNally “received two footballs autographed by Brady and also had Brady autograph a game-worn Patriots jersey that McNally previously had obtained.”

McNally later referred to himself as “the deflator,” and chided Jastremski by saying “im not going to espn……..yet.”

Those exchanges make it hard to imagine Brady had no knowledge of what’s going on, which he’ll need to answer for later.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/06/text-messages-suggest-tom-brady-had-knowledge-of-deflating/

[MikeO]

^^^^^Pretty convenient this gets released a week after the draft. They get to keep picks unless you take some away next year.

They got off with nothing for spygate I expect the same here. Some big fines but no loss of draft picks or suspensions

[Rich]

^^^^^Pretty convenient this gets released a week after the draft. They get to keep picks unless you take some away next year.

They got off with nothing for spygate I expect the same here. Some big fines but no loss of draft picks or suspensions

The report incriminates some ball boys and Tom Brady, not the coaches or front office, so I don't think picks would have been lost even prior to the draft. What you may see and probably will see is Tom Brady getting suspended and those ball boys will never work in the NFL again.

[CF DolFan]

Rumor has it Brady will be suspended 2-3 games and pre-season games will count. 

[Dave Gray]

Rumor has it Brady will be suspended 2-3 games and pre-season games will count. 

Wow.  That is such a joke.

[Cathal]

So basically he would get a vacation and not play in some meaningless games? Hah.