Could Brady's suspension heal the country?

As everyone knows by now, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will miss the first four games of the season due to a suspension related to the air pressure of footballs.

This might help the Jets in their AFC East race if the Patriots struggle during his absence.

However, could Brady’s acceptance of his sentence for Deflategate also help assuage the recent tensions between the black community and the police?

Former NFL players Chris Canty and Jamie Dukes think it could help, and said as much on the NFL Network recently.

These statements were made after the Second Circuit Court declined Brady’s request for an appeal, and before the quarterback announced he wouldn’t pursue more legal action.

“I think he’s just got to understand the landscape of where we are as a country, and where the game is at, and the importance of it and what it means to people,” said Canty, a former NFL defensive lineman. “We’re trying to bring people together, we’re trying to heal as a country, and this game goes a long way in being able to do that. I think Tom Brady needs to go ahead and take the suspension on the chin.”

“I believe, personally, he didn’t do anything wrong,” Dukes added, “but beyond that, this to me is much bigger than that. There’s some serious stuff that’s going on right now in this country. To me, it would appear very self-serving for you to put something like this ahead of what is going on.”

When former Patriots QB Scott Zolak, now a host on 98.5 FM in Boston, heard these comments, he went ballistic on the air.

“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” Zolak screamed. “Are you kidding me? What are you on Fox News? What are you on MSNBC? Are you kidding me? We’re talking about a legality between a CBA of the owners and the NFL players. And you want Tom Brady to take a suspension because this country’s crazy, man, some crazy things going on?