FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The “FIRE GOODELL” shirt Matt Bishop wears once a week was in the wash, or he would’ve worn it under his Tom Brady jersey for the first day of training camp.
“Even if he did do it, does it really matter?” said Bishop, a 19-year-old student from East Taunton, Mass., as he stood in a seemingly endless line of fans outside the New England Patriots ’ practice fields Thursday morning.
“Aaron Rodgers can go out and openly say he overinflates footballs, and no one bats an eye. (Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson) said he paid off someone before the Super Bowl to deflate footballs. No big deal. But God forbid angel-faced Tom Brady goes out there and deflates some footballs.”
The “Deflategate ” saga is over, at least as far as the Patriots and their superstar quarterback are concerned. Brady, who turns 39 next week, will serve a four-game suspension to start the season after dropping his end of a legal fight the NFL Players Association still may take to the Supreme Court, pressing third-year pro Jimmy Garoppolo into early action for the perennial contenders.
New England's history under coach Bill Belichick suggests they’ll be just fine, their run of seven consecutive AFC East titles and 13 seasons in a row with 10-plus wins in no great jeopardy.
Brady will return Oct. 9 against the Cleveland Browns. And when it comes to his reputation — at least around here — it seems nothing has changed.
“Tom Brady’s the man,” said Jeff Carroll, a 30-year-old police officer from West Warwick, R.I., wearing a “TOM F-N BRADY” shirt. “He’s got too many rings. That’s what it is. Everybody hates people that got rings. It’s the jealousy thing, man. Haters keep on hating.”
Cheers of “Brady! Brady!” started early in the packed stands Thursday. A sign declaring “TOM IS GOD” was visible near another that called for the ouster NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell , whose decision to uphold Brady’s suspension for participation in an alleged plot to deflate footballs in the AFC Championship Game following the 2014 season sent the matter into the courts.
Brady “didn’t hide anything, besides his little mishap with his phone,” said Al Camara, 52, of Attleboro, Mass., wearing a Brady jersey and replicas of the Patriots’ four Super Bowl rings. “I wish he was playing. But hopefully, our future quarterback is going to look good for when Tom Brady decides to retire.”
As is their custom on any controversial subject, Patriots players deflected questions about Brady’s suspension and the unusual setup at quarterback, where Brady took the first rep in most drills Thursday before Garoppolo opened an 11-on-11 period late in practice.
“Nothing has really changed,” Garoppolo said. “When they put me in for the reps I’m in for, I’ll go out there, do my best and do whatever the coaches ask.”
Asked if the outcome of Brady’s legal fight was fair, all-pro tight end Rob Gronkowski made a face. “Come on,” he said. “Is that a question?”
The verdict among the fans was clear.
“It was absolutely pathetic,” said John Delcore, 60, a federal auditor from Melrose, Mass. “It was totally blown out of proportion. I think it all comes down to other teams were jealous, and other owners had it in for” Patriots owner Robert Kraft , who chatted with Brady for a while on the field during Thursday’s practice.
Brady didn’t speak to reporters but seemed like himself in action. He showed frustration when he underthrew a pass during a red-zone drill and spent extra time during and after practice working on routes with Gronkowski and fellow tight end Martellus Bennett, who arrived in an offseason trade with the Chicago Bears.
“No matter what the circumstances are,” Gronkowski said, “I never see Tom Brady come out and not give it all in practice.”
The Patriots last missed the playoffs in 2008, when Brady blew out a knee in Week 1. They still went 11-5 behind untested Matt Cassel. Like Cassel then, Garoppolo has never started an NFL game. But that’s set to change with the Sept. 11 prime-time opener on the road against the Arizona Cardinals — the Patriots’ toughest challenge on paper until Brady returns, with their next three games at home against the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills.
“I wish (Brady) took it to the (Supreme) Court,” Bishop said, “because it’s no longer about Brady. It’s about Goodell being a tyrant. Someone could give him a dirty look, and they’re suspended for four games now.”
Dropping the legal fight when Brady did gave the Patriots clarity on his situation, though. Belichick got in front of any misguided speculation Wednesday by saying Brady will return as the starter once he’s reinstated — though the focus is on getting Garoppolo ready now.
“They just have to weather the storm until (Brady)’s back,” said Delcore’s son, John Jr., 32. “And Cleveland should watch out Week 5.”
