Days after a lengthy report found it was "more probable than not" that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady knew of rule-breaking, the NFL has issued its punishment: a four-game suspension for Brady and a $1 million fine for the Patriots.
The team will also lose its first-round pick in next year's draft, along with a fourth-round pick in 2017, over the incident known as "Deflategate," in which Brady was accused of using under-inflated footballs during last season's AFC championship game. The Patriots won that game handily and went on to win the Super Bowl.
Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick have denied knowing anything about how the team's footballs are prepared for games.
News of Brady's suspension follows the release Wednesday of a 243-page report that was commissioned by the NFL. It cited evidence from scientific studies to phone records concluded "it is more probable than not that New England Patriots personnel ... were involved in a deliberate effort to circumvent the rules."
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