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Does Steelers Le’Veon Bell Or Pats Tom Brady Have Better Chance Of Week 1 Action?

By Craig Gottschalk

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The Steelers Le’Veon Bell was suspended three games by the NFL for a DUI charge and possession of marijuana back in 2014.

The Patriots Tom Brady was suspended four games in wake of the Deflategate scandal.

Depending on how the appeals process goes for either player, neither one should see the field for at least Week 1. However, there’s a strong chance that one of them will actually step on the field at Gillette Stadium on September 10th.

I’ll give you one guess as to whom will weasel his way there….

You’re probably asking yourself, ‘How could that even be?’ But, the case for Tom Brady not even serving a day of his handed down suspension is about as possible as me getting arrested for lighting a bag of poo on his doorstep.

It’s been reported that a third party has rolled out it’s own investigation of the The Wells Report – the report that ruled probable cause of the Patriots, mainly Tom Brady, being responsible for the deflating of footballs during the AFC Championship.

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) came to their own conclusion that, ‘[the Deflategate] data contradicts that of the Wells report. We find that it is highly unlikely that the Patriots deflated their game footballs.’

Essentially the AEI report pokes holes in the way the Wells report gathered data and failed to investigate all scenarios related to ball pressure changes.

The report does not argue every point that the Wells report has in making its own case that there was probable cause of the purposeful deflating of footballs.

However, this is something that could strengthen Brady’s appeal process.

I have my doubts about AEI and the way they conduct their reports. They are also the same company that tried to poke holes in the Bountygate investigations that led to several player suspensions (later rescinded by Roger Goodell) and the suspension of Sean Payton.

They have a ‘way’ with their facts, and they undoubtedly lean towards one end of the political spectrum when it comes to what they ‘investigate’ and write about. I guess that is neither here nor there.

The fact is, there is a report that could aid Brady in returning to the football field sooner than Bell – not only sooner, but Brady just might slither his way out of a suspension altogether.

The Steelers (though they won’t publicly say it) and Steeler Nation are rather joyous of the fact that the team wouldn’t have to face Brady to start the season. Don’t count out Jimmy Garoppolo, but Brady has been a thorn for the Steelers for quite some time.

If he is on the field for Week 1, you can guarantee that Steeler Nation will be seeing red. Especially if Bell’s suspension doesn’t even get a one game reduction.

Brady’s appeal hearing is on June 23rd, so we should find out rather soon if the AEI report has any influence on the matter.

Bell’s hearing has yet to be scheduled – an odd turn in this situation, and no one seems to know why there’s a delay.

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