N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld the four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, one of the league’s biggest stars, for his role in the deflation of footballs used in the A.F.C. Championship game in January.
The league said in a 20-page statement that its decision was partly based on Brady destroying potential evidence, a cell phone that he had used during the week of the game and afterward. The destruction of the phone was only revealed at Brady’s appeal hearing in June.
A report commissioned by the league and released on May 11 found “substantial and credible evidence” that Brady was “at least generally aware” that two Patriots employees tampered with game balls, prompting the N.