Because apparently even deflated footballs are racist, New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall says that there are many NFL players who believe Tom Brady’s four-game Deflategate suspension was overturned because of race.
“Discussing the nullification of Tom Brady’s four-game suspension on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL,” the Jets’ wide receiver theorized about how race might have played a role in Judge Richard M. Berman’s decision.
“White players, specifically at the quarterback position, are treated differently,” the five-time Pro Bowler said.
Marshall told host Adam Schein that many black players feel that they are held to different standards than their white counterparts.
“Absolutely,” Marshall said. “At times, at times, at times, yes.”
The 31-year-old stressed that he’s not alone in this thinking. Rather, it’s a widespread belief around the league.
“I think that the important role that I play on this show is to give the viewers (an) inside look of the locker room,” Marshall said. “I am a player right now. This is not just from our locker room; this is from the locker rooms across the States. This is how guys are feeling. This is not just my opinion. These are conversations I’m having with guys.”
Except Tom Brady wasn’t “let off the hook.” There was no evidence. He never should have been on the hook to begin with. Moreover, it wasn’t the NFL that overturned Brady’s suspension. It was a federal judge. The NFL threw everything they had at Tom Brady; suspending him for four games, spending millions of dollars on attorneys, and fighting it all the way to federal court where they’re set to spend millions more as they fight it on appeal.
Is that letting a white quarterback off the hook?
Does Brandon Marshall mean to say that black players are unfairly treated by judges? Was Adrian Peterson treated unfairly by judges when he avoided jail time while many sports fans nationwide were clamoring for him to do a stint in the “Grey Bar Motel?”
If Marshall means the NFL treats white players --“especially quarterbacks”—differently, then he should go talk to white QB Ben Roethlisberger. “Big Ben” was never arrested, never charged, never convicted, and still was slapped with a four game suspension by the NFL. Two more games than black running back Ray Rice initially got, even though Rice actually was arrested for domestic violence.
But hey, it’s much easier to just cry racism.
