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Tom Brady explains broken cellphone, insists 'I did nothing wrong'

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

In a lengthy Facebook post published early Wednesday, Tom Brady expressed disappointment with the NFL's decision to uphold his four-game suspension, reasserted his innocence and - perhaps most importantly - explained why his cellphone was discovered to be destroyed by NFL investigators.

In Brady's words:

I am very disappointed by the NFL’s decision to uphold the 4 game suspension against me. I did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either.

Despite submitting to hours of testimony over the past 6 months, it is disappointing that the Commissioner upheld my suspension based upon a standard that it was “probable” that I was “generally aware” of misconduct. The fact is that neither I, nor any equipment person, did anything of which we have been accused. He dismissed my hours of testimony and it is disappointing that he found it unreliable.

I also disagree with yesterdays narrative surrounding my cellphone. I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances. As a member of a union, I was under no obligation to set a new precedent going forward, nor was I made aware at any time during Mr. Wells investigation, that failing to subject my cell phone to investigation would result in ANY discipline.

Most importantly, I have never written, texted, emailed to anybody at anytime, anything related to football air pressure before this issue was raised at the AFC Championship game in January. To suggest that I destroyed a phone to avoid giving the NFL information it requested is completely wrong.

Brady went on to say he tried to fully cooperate with the NFL's investigation and even contacted his service provider in an attempt to retrieve text messages from his old phone. He stated bluntly that the NFL has "zero evidence of wrongdoing."

Brady concluded by saying he won't allow unfair discipline in his case to set a precedent for other NFL players (which strongly suggests he plans to fight the NFL in court) and thanking fans for their support.

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