While most of his former and current peers have defended Tom Brady, Jim Kelly is calling him out. He believes the legendary New England Patriots quarterback isn’t doing enough to clear his name and that it’s time to “stand up and man up” if he has nothing to hide.
Speaking with ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday, Kelly exhorted Brady to once and for all lay all his cards on the table as a means to clear his name:
“Tom Brady’s name is being tarnished,” Kelly said. “I hope and pray that something comes out to show he didn’t do it. Tom Brady needs to stand up and man up and say, ‘This is the way it is.’
“The only thing that bums me out [is] if you are at quarterback and you did nothing wrong [and] they ask you to do something and show something, do it,” Kelly said.
“Do [I] think he is a cheater? I don’t think so. No.
“If somebody is dogging you, you do whatever you can to clear your name. When you don’t clear it, you start having doubts. National media and the national public are just abusing you and saying all these negative things.”
It’s easy to understand where Kelly is coming from. He’s always been forthcoming about his life as a celebrity, including during difficult times for himself and his family.
However, given the quicksand that is the legal system and the way the NFLPA and NFL have been saber-rattling over the entire Deflategate fiasco, there’s no chance Brady will take the advice Kelly is dishing.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Brady will meet (via court order) on August 12 to attempt settlement on this matter. It’s not likely a deal will be struck during the course of that meeting, however, as the following day there is a contempt of court hearing based on a motion filed by the NFLPA.
Kelly means well. He wants to see Brady’s name exonerated in the court of public opinion. Unfortunately, there is no room for such warm-hearted sentiment in the hostile climate between the two parties involved as they head towards the court of law.
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