Roger Goodell to Attend Patriots Home Opener, 1st Foxboro Trip Since Deflategate

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Tuesday at the league's annual spring meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, he plans to be in attendance for the New England Patriots' 2017 home opener, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

As the Boston Globe's Ben Volin pointed out, Goodell's trip to Gillette Stadium on Sept. 7 for the Thursday night season opener will represent his first since the Deflategate scandal.

News of Goodell's impending visit to Foxborough, Massachusetts, represents a deviation from his recent tendencies.

In September 2015, Goodell skipped the Patriots' season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers after Tom Brady's initial Deflategate suspension was overturned.

He also chose to attend the 2017 NFC Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons instead of heading to Foxborough for an AFC title clash between the Patriots and Steelers.

However, Goodell was forced to confront Brady and the Patriots in February after they stunned the Atlanta Falcons in overtime with a 34-28 victory in Super Bowl 51.

Following their encounter on the podium at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, Brady showed up to the Patriots' championship parade with a message for the commissioner.

According to the Boston Globe's Jaclyn Reiss, Brady was seen on a float covered with T-shirts that read "Roger that" with the Patriots' most recent Super Bowl ring conveniently placed on a middle finger.