Mean Texts: What Patriots Employees Said About Tom Brady
Two Patriots staffers at the heart of the Deflategate report released Wednesday had some rather harsh things to say –or, rather, text — about the team’s star quarterback.
The report cited text messages between Patriots’ officials locker room attendant Jim McNally and Patriots equipment assistant John Jastremski in concluding it is “more probable than not’’ that Tom Brady was aware of apparent tampering with footballs. Those text messages also suggest that Brady may not be especially popular with everyone in the organization.
Below are excerpts from the report, including key text messages between McNally and Jastremski:
The messages start in May 2014, when McNally labelled himself “the deflator.’’
In interviews with investigators, Jastremski recalled Brady referring to McNally during an October 2014 game against the New York Jets when asking “isn’t he in there to make sure the balls are staying where they should be?’’ Jastremski said that when he mentioned those comments to McNally on the sideline, McNally responded “f— Tom.’’ Brady told investigators he didn’t know who McNally was, though he did recall telling Jastremski the game balls “f—ing suck.’’
Texts between Jastremski and an unidentified recipient (due to the texts since being deleted) picked up again during halftime of that game.
The report states those texts refer to Brady complaining about over-inflated footballs. According to the report, Jastremski later confirmed the balls were in fact over-inflated, followed by the two joking that they would even further over-inflate the balls.
According to the report, McNally joked that Brady better give him money and sneakers in exchange for deflating the balls, though both McNally and Jastremski denied the exchange referred to the needle being used to deflate balls.
Several weeks later, they joke again about Brady giving them courtside tickets to a Celtics-Lakers game, or at least a pair of Uggs.
Deflategate Front Pages:
[bdc-gallery id=”462954″]
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com