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The absolute worst case scenario of "Deflategate" seems as if it'll be fully realized after all, for both Patriots fans and the organization alike.
A report surfacing today from the New York Daily News announces that quarterback Tom Brady will, in fact, be suspended by the NFL, with a formal announcement by commissioner Roger Goodell coming "sometime next week."
From the New York Daily News article:
Tom Brady will be the highest profile player ever suspended in the 96-year history of the NFL.
Roger Goodell's decision is expected to be announced next week and it is no longer a matter of if the NFL commissioner will suspend Brady, but for how long he will suspend him.
In conversations I've had with several key sources who always have a good sense of what goes on at 345 Park Avenue, there is little doubt Goodell considers Brady's role in DeflateGate a serious violation.
No one seems to have an accurate guess as it pertains to the possible length of the suspension, with the Daily News assuming a 2-game suspension and the Miami Herald estimating a suspension lasting the entirety of the 2015 season.
As far as a possible recourse for Brady goes, he should theoretically be able to appeal the suspension and may even be expected to as both Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Brady's agent Don Yee have expressed incredible disappointment in both the Wells Report and its shaky evidence. If the announcement contains any sanctions or penalties directed at the Patriots organization itself, those would not be eligible for an appeal and could contain docked draft picks, fines, or both.
This is certainly not the start to the inevitable "Deflategate" fallout that Tom Brady or the Patriots envisioned, but we'll keep you updated as more news breaks.