The players union has fired back.
BOSTON —The players union has filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Minneapolis in response to the NFL upholding New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's four-game Deflategate suspension.
"There was no direct evidence in the Wells Report, so the discipline was based on a made up 'general awareness' standard to justify such absurd and unprecedented punishment," the NFLPA said in a statement.
The union said by filing the lawsuit it's protecting the rights of Tom Brady and other NFL players.
"No player in NFL history has served a suspension for 'non-cooperation' or 'obstruction,'" the NFLPA said in the statement. "In this case, the evidence is paper-thin."
No word when the judge will take up the NFLPA's lawsuit.
The legal move comes hours after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft apologized to fans for not taking legal action against the NFL earlier this year, saying he was wrong to have faith in the investigation into Brady’s suspension.
Kraft called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's decision to uphold Brady’s four-game suspension for his role in using underinflated footballs during the AFC championship game "unfathomable."
Kraft said that the league's claim that Brady trashed his cellphone was just the latest in a series of statements and leaks designed to impugn the integrity of Brady and the team.
“I have come to the conclusion that this was never about doing what was fair and just,” Kraft said, adding that he regrets not taking legal action against the league earlier this year.
“I was wrong to put my faith in the league," Kraft said. "It is completely incomprehensible to me that the league continues to take steps to disparage one of its all-time greatest players, and a man for whom I have the most utmost respect," Kraft said.
Earlier, Brady reacted with defiance to Goodell’s decision, saying he “did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either.”
Read: Brady's statement on suspension | What to know about backup QB
Brady said despite submitting to hours of testimony, it's disappointing that the commissioner upheld the suspension based upon a standard that it was, “probable,” that he was “generally aware” of misconduct.
“The fact is that neither I, nor any equipment person, did anything of which we have been accused. He dismissed my hours of testimony and it is disappointing that he found it unreliable,” Brady said.
Brady also disputed the commissioner’s findings surrounding his cellphone. Goodell said the New England quarterback told an assistant to destroy Brady's cellphone on or just before March 6. Brady met with independent investigator Ted Wells on that day.
Read: Patriots' statement | Brady's agent's statement
“I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances,” he said. “Most importantly, I have never written, texted, emailed to anybody at any time, anything related to football air pressure before this issue was raised at the AFC Championship game in January. To suggest that I destroyed a phone to avoid giving the NFL information it requested is completely wrong.”
Brady said he authorized the NFLPA to make a settlement offer to the NFL to avoid going to court, but his discipline was upheld without any counter offer.
“I will not allow my unfair discipline to become a precedent for other NFL players without a fight,” Brady said.
