In a piece titled "Deflating Deflategate" from the New York Times opinion pages Friday, writers Kevin A. Hasset and Stan A. Veuger share their independent analysis of the Wells report. The writers also explain that a few years ago their independent analysis was used by the NFL as part of the decision to overturn "Bountygate" penalties against the New Orleans Saints.

"Considering that our impartiality was at least implicitly recognized by the NFL in the past, we believe that our analysis of the evidence in Deflategate, in a study released Friday by the American Enterprise Institute, could help resolve this latest controversy," Hasset and Veuger write. "Our study, written with our colleague Joseph Sullivan, examines the evidence and methodology of the Wells report and concludes that it is deeply flawed. ...

"Our recommendation? When the NFL hears [Tom] Brady's appeal of his suspension later this month, it should proceed with the knowledge that the Wells report is unreliable."