deflategate

Until June, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did not acknowledge to investigators that he had destroyed his cellphone, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says.

The NFL fined the team $1 million and stripped it of draft picks in connection with the scandal involving underinflated footballs. Quarterback Tom Brady is appealing his four-game suspension.

The Patriots say staff members used the term "deflate" to talk about losing weight — not about breaking the NFL's rules on football inflation, as the league says.

The NFL Players Association, which filed the appeal on behalf of the New England Patriots quarterback, is calling for a neutral arbitrator to hear the appeal.

Days after a lengthy report found it was "more probable than not" that quarterback Tom Brady knew of rule-breaking, the NFL suspends him for four games next season and fines the Patriots $1 million.

He says that a report stating that his client probably knew of the scheme to let air out of game balls suggests investigators reached a conclusion prior to their probe.

After weeks of investigation, a 243-page report says quarterback Tom Brady was probably "at least generally aware" that the team was using underinflated footballs.

Defending champs Seattle were edged out by the East Coast rivals. The two closely matched teams were tied at halftime, but New England pulled ahead late in the fourth quarter.

The play came from New England cornerback Malcolm Butler, who intercepted a Russell Wilson pass at the goal line with 20 seconds left. The result: Patriots over Seahawks, 28-24.