Former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn defended Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in a recent interview with TheFootballGirl.com’s Melissa Jacobs. In addition to downplaying the significance of the Deflategate scandal, Horn also had some harsh words to describe NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

“I’m not mad at Tom. He’s a great athlete and he does what he needs to do to win the football game. If he deflated balls and the guys did it for him, I’m not mad at Tom for that,’’ Horn said. “Guys do things all the time to get ahead that the NFL doesn’t know about.’’


Horn played 12 seasons in the NFL and made four Pro Bowls as a member of the New Orleans Saints. He was retired by the time the Bountygate scandal rocked the Saints franchise, but Horn still is not a fan of Goodell.

“I don’t like what Roger Goodell is doing,’’ Horn said. “He has so much power that he can almost shut people down. I just don’t like him. And I don’t like that on draft day these kids don’t know that they’re hugging the devil. I hate to see kids that are lost and then happy but they really don’t know the man they’re hugging will rip their throat apart.’’

Brady is facing a four-game suspension from the league for his role in the Deflategate scandal. Goodell appointed himself to hear the appeal, and has not wavered from his decision despite the efforts of the NFLPA to get a “neutral arbiter’’ to hear the case.

You can read the entire interview at TheFootballGirl.com.

Timeline of Deflategate