The two team employees suspended indefinitely by the New England Patriots directly in the midst of the Deflategate scandal after the findings of the Wells Report became public will reportedly face no league discipline and, further, will soon be reinstated by the team. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports that former and soon-to-be again Patriots employees Jim McNally and John Jastremski have escaped punishment for whatever role they may have played in the Deflategate scandal and will rejoin the team in short order with what Volin deems "new roles."
McNally and Jastremski shot to the forefront of the national consciousness after NFL investigator Ted Wells' report detailing the findings of his investigation into the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady's alleged cheating conspiracy, intended to see the inflation levels of footballs dropped to a point that is considered to be outside the realm of legality and more in line with Brady's personal preferences, was published. In the report, McNally refers to himself as "The Deflator" while exchanging text messages with Jastremski. McNally at one point also seems to make a threat that he will go to ESPN with, presumably, whatever sensitive information he possesses. Jastremski talks about getting McNally free shoes and seems to take a placating approach to McNally's threats.
As Deflategate advanced, the Patriots took the step to suspend McNally and Jastremski, raising many eyebrows in and around the league as the franchise then asserted, via a 20,000-word diatribe, that McNally and Jastremski were actually entirely innocent.
It was later reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had approached the Pats with an ultimatum - suspend the pair or we will. So the Pats did as they were directed and banned McNally and Jastremski.
Now, with Brady's four-game suspension vacated and the 2015 NFL season finally begun, it seems we really can begin to put the entire Deflategate saga behind us. For McNally and Jastremski, that means a return to jobs with a team they likely love and an organization likely ready to welcome them back with open arms.
