Tom Brady’s extra-long summer break for cheating has been upheld by the NFL

The end of Deflategate?

Roger Goodell has upheld the four match ban imposed on Tom Brady for one of the biggest scandals to hit the NFL in a generation. The quarter-back was initially banned for four games after his role in the 'Deflategate' saga was revealed in May. His suspension came off the back of report from Ted Wells who was hired to investigate claims that underinflated footballs has been used during the AFC championship game. In their statement upholding the four-game ban, NFL Commissioner Goodell stated that the New England man had asked his mobile phone be destroyed before he met with Wells, and Goodell claims almost 10,000 messages had been sent or received by the phone in the four months it was in use. The NFL say that this was a major factor in upholding the ban

"The most significant new information that emerged in connection with the appeal was evidence that on or about March 6, 2015 -- the very day that he was interviewed by Mr. Wells and his investigated team -- Mr. Brady instructed his assistant to destroy the cellphone that he had been using since early 2014, a period that included that AFC Championship game and the initial weeks of the subsequent investigation," Goodell wrote in the final decision on the appeal." "During the four months that the cell phone was in use, Brady had exchanged nearly 10,000 text messages, none of which can now be retrieved from that device. The destruction of the cell phone was not disclosed until June 18, almost four months after the investigators had first sought electronic information from Brady."

The Patriots have refused to comment on the decision and as it stands Brady, unless he wins an appeal in court, will miss the games against Pittsburgh on Sept. 10 , before possibly returning against the Colts on Oct. 18 in Indianapolis. Brady is likely to sue the NFL for their decision in an effort to delay the ban and is expected to issue a statement later. H/T to NFL