Tom Brady Addresses 'Deflategate' Report
— -- Tom Brady said tonight he didn't really have any comment or reaction to the Deflategate report in which lead attorney Ted Wells said it "is more than probable" Brady was aware of the release of air from the Patriots' footballs.
Speaking at Salem State University during an event scheduled before the release of the report, Brady said he hopes to respond as soon as he has time to fully process the report and investigation.
"Are you that slow a reader?" sportscaster Jim Gray jokingly asked.
"My athletic career is better than my academic career," Brady joked back, noting, "[I] usually only read X's and O's. ... This was a bit longer."
Brady's demeanor was upbeat throughout, smiling frequently before the cheering crowd.
Asked how he was handling the controversy, the Patriot's quarterback and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player said he has "dealt with a lot of adversity in his career and life" and that he was grateful for the support of his family, friends and fans.
The investigation, led by attorney Ted Wells, stated it "is more than probable" that Brady "was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities" involving the release of air from the Patriots' footballs.
And asked whether the controversy has detracted from the joy of winning the Super Bowl, Brady responded: "Absolutely not," prompting loud cheers from the audience.
Brady had been scheduled to speak at the Salem State University panel long before the report was released on Wednesday.
His agent, Don Yee, issued a statement earlier today slamming the findings as "a significant and terrible disappointment."
"Its omission of key facts and lines of inquiry suggest the investigators reached a conclusion first, and then determined so-called facts later," Yee said in the statement.
The NFL said it is considering “what steps to take in light of the report, both with respect to possible disciplinary action and to any changes in protocols that are necessary to avoid future incidents of this type."
