Tom Brady Sr. vehemently defends son: 'This was Framegate right from the beginning'

Jim Corbett | USA TODAY Sports

Show Caption Hide Caption Details of Deflategate investigation released USA TODAY Sports' Lindsay H.Jones discusses the long awaited report findings from Ted Wells.

Tom Brady has chosen to remain silent thus far in the wake of the so-called "Deflategate" report issued by independent attorney Ted Wells on Wednesday. The findings say Brady, the New England Patriots' superstar quarterback, "was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities" by two team employees that resulted in footballs being underinflated in January's AFC Championship Game victory against the Indianapolis Colts.

But Brady's father offered an emphatic defense of his four-time Super Bowl-winning son's character and sportsmanship.

"I don't have any doubt about my son's integrity — not one bit," Tom Brady Sr. told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday after the investigation's publication.

"In this country, you're innocent until proven guilty. It just seems Tommy is now guilty until proven innocent.

"This thing is so convoluted. ... They say that possibly — possibly — he was aware of this. The reality is if you can't prove he did it, then he's innocent, and lay off him. That's the bottom line."

Brady Sr. strongly stated the NFL was far more concerned about its image than that of the three-time Super Bowl MVP, long one of the faces of the league.

"The league had to cover themselves," Brady Sr. said. "The reality is they had no conclusive evidence.

"This was Framegate right from the beginning."

Brady Sr. also said the Wells report contradicted itself after finding four of the Colts' footballs were underinflated along with 11 of 12 used by New England.

"How can Tommy defend himself? It's impossible," Brady Sr. said. "This is so distorted. To have something come out like this and say it's more probable than not? What does that mean?

"I'm watching the NFL Network saying he could be fined and suspended. Are you kidding me?"

Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick vehemently denied any knowledge of deflated footballs in January. The league mandates each ball fall within an inflation tolerance between 12½ and 13½ pounds per square inch.

Team owner Robert Kraft vigorously defended Brady and Belichick in the week before the Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX win against the Seattle Seahawks. Brady won his third Super Bowl MVP award after that game.

"They had to protect their asses, and that's what they're doing," Brady Sr. said. "I just read that four Colts balls were underinflated. Amazing. Amazing.

"They're saying he's possibly aware. ... How do you put a cloud over somebody like this?

"To impugn somebody without conclusive evidence saying this is more probable than not? The reality is they have scientific evidence. Now they're overriding the scientific evidence and badgering the Patriots. It's disgusting."

But is it a conspiracy?

"There was definitely a sting going on," Brady Sr. said. "And as much as the Colts knew there was going to be a sting, they still had four underinflated balls.

"I just don't know how they can impugn someone like this."

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