A Group Of Patriots Fans Are Suing To Get Their Team’s Draft Pick Back

Oct 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) walks past a sign referencing Deflategate at halftime during the NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

A group of New England Patriots fans are taking their fight to federal court in order to get back the draft picks their team lost as part of the “Deflate Gate” saga.

According to the suit, signed by Seth Carey, a Maine attorney:

“This case is brought by New England Patriots fans on behalf of all Patriots fans who believe the New England Patriots professional football team were harmed by the Defendants’ arbitrary and capricious decision to revoke the Patriots first round draft choice in the April 28, 2016 NFL Draft.”

The seven fans, who are from Florida, New Jersey and Massachusetts, are accusing the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell of fraud, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and racketeering. The Patriots lost their first round pick, fourth round pick and were fined $1 million dollars after a league investigation found that quarterback Tom Brady was “more probable than not” aware that footballs may have been partially deflated before the 2015 AFC Championship Game.

A game won by the Patriots 45-7.

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The fans went after the “bogus” Wells Report, claiming it failed to show hard evidence that Brady and the Patriots were guilty. Team owner Robert Kraft was included in the suit as well, the fans accuse him of not fighting hard enough to get the draft pick back:

“Defendant Robert Kraft had remedies to attempt to get Plaintiffs’ draft picks back, but he chose his fellow billionaire owners above the Plaintiffs and fellow fans.”

Carey claims that the owner violated the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act. ‘Deflate Gate’ has caused a “rift” in his household according to one of the fans involved in the suit, Todd Orsatti, a season ticket holder, who claims his daughter is now “bitterly jaded because of the whole ordeal.”

“Orsatti attends games with his 7-year-old daughter. She will no longer go to games with him because she thinks the games are fixed by the NFL after her team was punished based merely on conjecture. She is talking about finding another team, which has left Orsatti ‘devastated'”

The complain was summed up with a typical New England Patriots line: “For Patriots haters, Deflategate seemed like a gift. For many scientists, Deflategate seemed like a lot of hot air.”

[Boston Globe]