Details of how Tom Brady pressed his “Deflate-gate” suspension appeal to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell were made public when the NFL Players Association released a hearing transcript.
The New England Patriots quarterback denied any wrongdoing and explained destroying his cell phone was something he did routinely to avoid personal details becoming public.
The NFL last month penalised Brady for ordering the destruction of the phone at the centre of the scandal, citing it as a key reason for dismissing his appeal against a four-match suspension.
Brady and the union took the matter to the US federal court in the hope he might be reinstated before next month’s season opener for the Super Bowl champion Patriots.
The issue concerns a report by an NFL investigator saying it was likely Brady had to know about footballs in a playoff game being below NFL minimum inflation levels, making them easier to grip, grab and throw.
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“In the history of my career I never thought about the inflation level of a ball,” Brady said. “The irony of everything is I don’t even squeeze a football. I grip the ball as loosely as possible. I’m just gripping it like a golf club.”
NFL attorneys were concerned about multiple calls between Brady and the Patriots worker who provided the balls, calls Brady could not explain.
Of his phone, he added: “I don’t want anybody to see the contents of the phone. I’ve always told the guy who swaps them out for me to make sure you get rid of the phone. What I mean is destroy the phone.”
