John Madden's Deflategate Comments Offer Perfect Rebuttal to Tom Brady's Defense

When John Madden speaks, people listen. So when the former head coach-turned-broadcaster talks publicly about the role Tom Brady may have had in what has become known as "Deflategate," it might be a good idea to take Madden's ideas on board.

The New England Patriots quarterback denied any involvement in the affair during a press conference on Thursday, per Gary Mihoces of USA Today:

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'I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I have no idea what happened,' Brady said at a packed news conference as the countdown to New England's Super Bowl XLIX matchup with the Seattle Seahawks continued.

The press conference became raucous at times as media members tried to shout over one another to ask a question. A three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Super Bowl MVP and league MVP, Brady was asked if he was a cheater.

'I don't believe so,' he said calmly. 'I feel like I've always played within the rules. I would never do anything to break the rules. I believe in fair play, and I respect the league.'

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Speaking before Brady's press conference, Madden remained adamant about his view regarding Brady's involvement, per Frank Cooney of The Sports Xchange:

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That would have to be driven by the quarterback. That’s something that wouldn't be driven by a coach or just the equipment guy. Nobody, not even the head coach, would do anything to the football unilaterally, such as adjust the amount of pressure in a ball, without the quarterback not knowing. It would have to be the quarterback's idea.

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Madden joins what is a growing crowd casting doubt on Brady's innocence.

"It's obvious that Tom Brady had something to do with this," said Troy Aikman in an interview with SportsRadio 1310 AM and 96.7 FM in Dallas, via The Dallas Morning News.

Aikman's line of thinking was the same as Madden's in that they believe it would have been impossible for any member of the New England staff to alter the footballs at all without Brady's knowledge.

Bleacher Report's Chris Simms also remains skeptical.

Now let's get something straight right now: The whole "Deflategate" nonsense is being completely overblown. The Patriots shouldn't be expelled from the Super Bowl. Brady shouldn't be suspended for the Super Bowl, and neither should Bill Belichick.

Maybe the Patriots gained a slight advantage, but it doesn't explain why the Indianapolis Colts lost by 38 points, nor does it override Andrew Luck going 12-of-33 for 126 yards and two interceptions.

With that said, the smallest amount of cheating is still cheating, and having Brady implicated is a somewhat big deal. He's a three-time Super Bowl champion and one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

If Brady purposefully broke the rules, he should face some sort of punishment, even if it's a small fine.

When somebody like Madden is calling shenanigans on Brady's story, the presumption of innocence begins lessening. Madden is one of the brightest minds the NFL has ever known. He led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl victory and spent decades as one of the best analysts in the game.

Robert B. Stanton/Getty Images

What makes Madden's case so compelling is he doesn't devolve into personal attacks against Belichick or Brady, and he doesn't call into question the integrity of the Patriots in pursuit of a hot take.

He asks a perfectly reasonable question: How could any team employee go behind the back of the QB—in a conference championship no less—and alter the football in any way?

Not to mention Brady is renowned for his attention to detail. He knows the exact specifications he likes when throwing a football, which in turn means he should notice when a football fails to meet that exact specification.

According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, Brady's optimal weight is 12.5 pounds per square inch:

As ESPN's Ed Werder pointed out, that quote begs a very important question:

Sports fans are generally accepting of contrite athletes. Plenty of stars have had indiscretions much larger than deflating a football, and their careers remain largely unaffected.

Should Brady be culpable in "Deflategate," he should simply own up to it. And given the number of voices calling his story into question, it's becoming harder and harder for him to plead ignorance.