Four Games in Fall

In the AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts in January of 2015, NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion Tom Brady was accused of intentionally deflating footballs to gain an advantage. The media frenzy that followed this allegation of cheating included months of front page news and culminated in Tom Brady’s punishment which banned him from four games of the 2016 season for his role in the scheme. However, independent scientists from leading institutions across the country determined that there was no evidence of deflation outside of weather induced changes. Reports emerged that the NFL deliberately leaked false information about the data. Nationally renowned legal experts testified that the case was misrepresented in the legal battle that ensued. Despite the evidence that the controversy was rooted in an incident that never took place, public sentiment had solidified against Tom Brady, and he was branded a cheater. Through interviews with top scientists, journalists, and legal scholars, FOUR GAMES IN FALL peeks behind the curtain of the controversy to examine how the scandal was perpetrated using time-tested tactics of media manipulation and ‘science for hire.’ The film examines how the tactics used in the Deflategate controversy are frequently used to manipulate public opinion, enact regulation, and influence legal outcomes on important issues that impact the daily lives of average citizens. The film also explores the likely motivation for the scandal as a deflection from significant threats plaguing the league, including negative press over handling of domestic violent incidents and the existential threats of CTI and traumatic brain injury.