NFL upholds Tom Brady's 'deflategate' suspension

NEW YORK, July 28 (UPI) -- The National Football League is upholding its four-game suspension and $1 million penalty for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for his role in the so-called "deflategate," league officials said Tuesday.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ruled the suspension he issued in May will still go into effect in the upcoming season. The NFL suspended Brady for the first four games of the 2015 season after it was determined the Patriots used underinflated footballs in the AFC championship game against the Indianapolis Colts in January.

The NFL investigation determined Brady and other members of the Patriots were aware the footballs weren't properly inflated.

The NFL and independent investigator Tom Wells reviewed the case again after Brady filed an appeal of his suspension. Goodell said upon further review, it was determined Brady destroyed evidence, something that factored into the league upholding the suspension.

"The most significant new information that emerged in connection with the appeal was evidence that on or about March 6, 2015 -- the very day that was interviewed by Mr. Wells and his investigated team -- Mr. Brady instructed his assistant to destroy the cellphone that he had been using since early 2014, a period that included that AFC championship game and the initial weeks of the subsequent information," Goodell wrote in his ruling.

The ruling said "the conduct at issue here -- specifically the willful destruction of potentially relevant evidence -- goes well beyond Mr. Brady's failure to respond to or fully cooperate with the investigation."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Brady and the NFLPA intend to sue the NFL over its decision Tuesday and plan to seek an injunction so Brady can play during the first four weeks of the season.