Tom Brady was suspended for four games in the Deflategate scandal. The suspension covered the first four games of the 2016 NFL regular season after the NFL’s punishment was reinstated on appeal.
Deflategate began after the 2014 AFC Championship Game between the Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, when several footballs used by New England were found to be below the league’s specified pressure range. An NFL investigation concluded that Brady was likely aware of efforts to manipulate the footballs and had not fully cooperated with investigators.
The NFL first announced the four-game suspension in 2015. A federal district court later vacated it, allowing Brady to play the entire 2015 season, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reinstated the punishment in 2016. Brady ultimately served the suspension, missing games against Arizona, Miami, Houston, and Buffalo.
The four-game penalty applied to Brady personally. The Patriots also received a $1 million fine and lost two draft selections.