The NFL quietly conducted another investigation involving Tom Brady. Past investigations involving the now-Tampa Bay quarterback were in the news on a daily basis it seems. You remember Spy-Gate and Deflate-Gate, right?
The NFL released its investigative report into the Miami Dolphins this week and although Brady was a key figure in the report, he won’t be facing any punishment for the role he played.
The NFL found that the Dolphins tampered by making contact with Brady on two separate occasions while he was under contract with another team. As a result, the NFL suspended Miami owner Stephen Ross, for his team’s first six games this season while also taking away the franchise’s 2023 first round draft choice.
Tom Brady
Here is what we learned thus far from the investigation.
The NFL found that the Dolphins tampered by making contact with Brady on two separate occasions while he was under contract with another team.
The first contact was in 2019-20, while he was under contract to the New England Patriots. Those communications began as early as August 2019 and continued throughout the 2019 season and postseason.
The Dolphins again had communications with Brady and his agent during and after the 2021 season, while he was under contract to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Those discussions began no later than early December 2021 and focused on Brady becoming a limited partner within the Dolphins ownership, while serving as the team’s quarterback.
Why does Brady escape punishment you ask? The answer is somewhat shady as far as I am concerned. The league’s anti-tampering policy basically says that the team that does the tampering can be punished, but the player can’t. Since the Dolphins reached out to Brady first, then they were the ones who tampered. On the other hand, if Brady reached out first, then the Dolphins were supposed to report that to the NFL.
Since there were multiple communications involving Brady who knows the rule, one would think he is also at fault. Maybe that is why he retired for a month or so last winter.
Brady may be the GOAT, but he sure does find himself involved in investigations.
