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Tom Brady Issues Statement: ‘To A Large Degree, We Have All Lost’

By Jonathan Franks
Published on: 22:21 PST, Sep 4, 2015

NFL star Tom Brady opened up about having his four-game suspension erased by a federal judge in a recent Facebook post.

Perhaps one of the biggest highlights of the statement was when the New England Patriots quarterback discussed the effect that the ordeal has had on the league overall.

“While I am pleased to be eligible to play, I am sorry our league had to endure this. I don’t think it has been good for our sport – to a large degree, we have all lost.”

Brady started his statement by mentioning how he looks forward to committing his “energy and emotion to focus on the challenges of the 2015 NFL season.”

The husband and father went on to express gratitude to his family, friends, “all of the fans, past and current players,” as well as his teammates for their support. His gratitude went a little farther than that, according to his statement – including the federal judge that decided to lift his four-game suspension in the first place.

“I also want to thank Judge Berman and his staff for their efforts to resolve this matter over the past five weeks. I am very grateful. My thanks also to the union’s legal team who has fought so hard right along with me.”

In addition to his “thank you” messages, Tom Brady also apologized to the people whose feelings he may have hurt as he “tried to work to resolve this situation.”

Brady continued by shifting his focus on the NFL and the upcoming season, encouraging fans to shift their focus back on the league as well.

“I love the NFL. It is a privilege to be a member of the NFL community and I will always try to do my best in representing my team and the league in a way that would make all members of this community proud… I hope the attention of NFL fans can return to where it belongs – on the many great players and coaches who work so hard every week, and sacrifice so much, to make this game great.”

Tom concluded his statement by confirming that he will be in uniform on the field for the Patriots’ season opener on Thursday night, claiming that he hopes “to make all of our fans proud this year and beyond.”

ESPN reports that the NFL will appeal the court’s decision to lift Brady’s suspension.

While expressing his gratitude for Judge Berman, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear in a statement of his own that he respectfully disagreed with the decision.

“We will appeal today’s ruling in order to uphold the collectively bargained responsibility to protect the integrity of the game. The commissioner’s responsibility to secure the competitive fairness of our game is a paramount principle, and the league and our 32 clubs will continue to pursue a path to that end.”

According to the official NFL website, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will open their regular season facing Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10.

[Image Credit: Tom Brady Facebook & Spencer Platt/Getty Images]

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