TJ Ward Comments on His Suspension, Tom Brady's Deflategate Ruling

The Denver Broncos will be without T.J. Ward for the first game of the regular season due to a suspension, but the star safety feels as though things would be different if he was New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.    

Ward's one-game suspension was made official Thursday, and it stems from a May 2014 incident in which he allegedly threw a glass mug at a female bartender in a strip club. Ward was suspended despite the charges being dropped, and he feels as though there is a double standard of sorts within the NFL, according to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post: "My last name's not Brady."

Brady, who was initially suspended four games due to his alleged involvement in the Deflategate scandal, had his suspension nullified in court Thursday, per the Associated Press.

Much like there was never any hard evidence produced to confirm wrongdoing on Brady's part, the 28-year-old defensive back insists the same can be said for him, according to Kiszla: "I feel it's really unfair. I'm getting punished for being accused of doing something. Not doing something, but being accused. And I've got to pay the consequences."

U.S. District Court Judge Richard Berman's decision in the Brady case may have opened up a massive can of worms in terms of galvanizing other players and their desire to take the NFL to court after getting suspended.

There is no indication Ward will attempt to do anything of the sort, but a precedent has certainly been set when it comes to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's power.

Brady will be under center for the Pats when they open the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10, but Ward won't be patrolling the secondary for Denver when it faces the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13.

An argument can be made that Ward deserves to be suspended for his alleged actions, but his frustration is understandable due to the blatant inconsistency running rampant throughout the NFL.

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