Tom Brady is officially moving on from Deflategate.
The New England Patriots quarterback no longer will proceed with the legal process and will serve a four-game suspension for his role in the use of deflated footballs during the AFC Championship Game against the Colts on Jan. 18, 2015.
Brady announced the decision in a statement on his verified Facebook page.
“I’m very grateful for the overwhelming support I’ve received from Mr. Kraft, the Kraft family, coach Belichick, my coaches and teammates, the NFLPA, my agents, my loving family and most of all, our fans,” Brady wrote. “It has been a challenging 18 months and I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process. I’m going to work hard to be the best player I can be for the New England Patriots and I look forward to having the opportunity to return to the field this fall.”
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected Brady’s request for a rehearing of the case on Wednesday. Brady’s only other legal option would have been to take the case to the Supreme Court.
Jimmy Garoppolo, a second-round draft pick in 2014, becomes the Patriots’ starter in Brady’s absence.
