According to the Indianapolis Star’s Zak Keefer, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay hasn’t spoken to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the possibility of the league reducing Tom Brady‘s suspension in what’s been a seemingly never-ending controversy, now infamously known as DeflateGate:
"“That’s not true at all,” Irsay told The Indianapolis Star yesterday. “I haven’t talked to Roger Goodell about DeflateGate since late January. Not true. That’s not the way things work involving someone else’s business and someone else’s team. It’s not something I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been around ownership (in the NFL) for half a century.”"
It appears to strongly contradict an earlier report from ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio that Irsay along with Baltimore Ravens majority owner Steve Bisciotti have been among the most vocal about reducing Brady’s current 4-game suspension as part of his league-mandated DeflateGate punishment.
According to BaltimoreRavens.com, pressure that Bisciotti along with Irsay has also reportedly denied placing on the commissioner and the league office regarding DeflateGate:
"“I have not and will not put any pressure on the Commissioner or anyone representing the NFL office to take action in what everyone is calling ‘Deflategate,” said Bisciotti in his recently issued statement.“The story circulating that I have put pressure on Roger (Goodell) is 100% wrong. The reports are unfair to Robert Kraft, who is an honorable person, and to his franchise,” added Bisciotti. “Let’s talk about football and the start of training camps. Fans and people like me want the issue resolved now.”"
In the aftermath of Irsay and Bisciotti’s clear denials, Paolantonio has since taken to the air waives to clarify his initial comments:
"“I was wrong to say what I said because clearly it sounds like Steve Bisciotti doesn’t care,” said Paolantonio on Baltimore’s 105.7 radio show Monday morning. “And what I was able to find out pretty clearly, is that the owners are not pressuring Roger Goodell, at all. So I never should have reported that. And the other thing too, is that it wasn’t a report. It was just me talking on a radio station. It was my opinion and it was speculation.”"
Nevertheless, just because neither Irsay nor Bisciotti has directly spoken to Goodell, doesn’t mean that they won’t be angry if the league reaches a settlement with Brady as part of a reduction in his suspension. However, it doesn’t appear that they’re actively placing pressure on the league office either by any means.
Regardless, here’s hoping that a resolution is reached with DeflateGate sooner rather than later, so that the league, players, owners, and all teams involved can focus on what’s clearly important right now: football.
More from Horseshoe Heroes
- Colts explored hiring former quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky
- When is the NFL Combine 2023? NFL Combine schedule, events, how to stream
- Latest NFL mock draft has Colts trading up to No. 1 for star QB
- Eagles offensive free agents that could follow Shane Steichen to Colts
- Here’s why Colts linebacker Shaq Leonard is going to love Shane Steichen