Many people are wondering if Tom Brady can sue the NFL for defamation. After all, it’s been reported that the NFL has taken some decidedly unsubstantiated stance actions against Brady and the Deflategate scandal. Well, the truth is that he can — at least, in theory — but whether he will actually do so is a different story.
Personally, I think that he should. I mean, it’s pretty nefarious what the NFL did. They accused him of being involved in cheating, dragged him through several court cases, and then, when it became clear that they had no evidence to back up their accusations, they tried to flex their power and punish him anyway, with an “unprecedented” 4-game suspension. All in all, it’s just wrong.
What’s truly remarkable, though, is that even after all that, Brady still managed to win his appeal and is now playing in the Super Bowl. It’s a testament to his character that he was able to handle the pressure and scrutiny with such grace and dignity, but it’s sad that it had to happen in the first place.
Still, while I think Brady deserves to sue the NFL, it’s unlikely that he’ll actually go through with it. He probably doesn’t want to draw any more attention to the situation, and he has enough money and fame that he doesn’t need to. He’d be much better off focusing his energy on continuing to play at a high level and defending his four Super Bowl rings.
Now, the NFL’s explanation in the whole affair has been fairly unconvincing. But at the same time, it’s important to consider that they’ve had some wins too. For example, they have managed to dodge most of the blame in court. It’s clear that they are better off not getting into a huge legal battle with Brady, especially since it could end up doing more damage to their already tarnished reputation.
So, can Brady sue the NFL? Yes, he could, but it’s a tough call. My guess is that he won’t. He’s probably had enough of the attention already and would rather just move on. Going back to court would be a long and difficult process, and it’s simply not worth it, especially given his already impressive track record.