New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady may be taking the news of his four-game suspension, handed to him in the wake of the Deflategate scandal and the findings of the Wells Report, pretty well, but it seems the NFL viewing public isn't.
According to ESPN's Darren Rovell, a new poll from CelebrityDBI.com reveals that Brady's likability and trustworthiness have plummeted in the eyes of fans since the publishing of the Wells Report.
The Celebrity DBI, "an independent index that quantifies and qualifies consumer perceptions of celebrities" which offers "realistic celebrity awareness assessment," reveals that Brady's tarnished reputation now leaves him in the same neighborhood as childish pop-stars and boisterous FOX News commentators.
"New poll by @CelebrityDBI reveals Tom Brady's appeal has plummeted, now on par with Britney Spears & Rex Ryan," ESPN business reported Darren Rovell tweeted.
"Consumers now rank their trust in Tom Brady on par with Billy Bob Thornton & Bill O'Reilly, according to new @CelebrityDBI poll," Rovell added.
While the nation-wide view of Brady matters little unless it's an egregious enough change in public perception to cause the future Hall of Famer to lose endorsements, it is interesting to see what the general view of Brady has become outside of New England.
Brady's four-game suspension will likely be reduced via appeal - though that likelihood took something of a hit once it was announced that commissioner Roger Goodell would not recuse himself from hearing Brady's appeal - but his reputation may never recover, despite the vigorous and vehement defense of Brady's honor that have come from the likes of Patriots owner Robert Kraft and ESPN analyst and former Patriot, Teddy Bruschi.
For fans to view him in a similar light to a pop star most well-known for a public meltdown which resulted in her shaving her head and a divisive political commentator known for ardent, bordering on obnoxious, conservative views, speaks volumes about how far the former Golden Boy has fallen in a few short weeks.
