Patriots Fans Sue NFL Over ‘Deflategate’

Seven New England Patriots fans filed a lawsuit claiming NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell unlawfully stripped their team of a first-round draft pick over the 2015 “Deflategate” scandal. Deflategate followed a January 2015 playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts, in which Patriots quarterback Tom Brady allegedly knowingly used under-inflated footballs, in violation of league rules. Goodell and the NFL docked the team $1 million dollars, draft picks, and a four-game suspension for Brady. The suspension was blocked by a federal judge. Josh Lewin, attorney with Bowditch & Dewey, told Reuters the lawsuit was unlikely to succeed, as courts do not usually recognize fans as having standing on behalf of their teams.