If Tom Brady isn’t on the sideline Thursday, Sept. 10, New England Patriots fans don’t want their team to raise the Super Bowl XLIX banner.
Patriots fans’ #NoBradyNoBanner Twitter campaign has gained steam since the Wells Report was released, and it’s grown in popularity since Brady’s four-game suspension was announced Monday.
The annual Week 1 regular-season kickoff game comes with a pregame ceremony, and delaying raising the banner until Brady is back is one way Patriots owner Robert Kraft could protest the NFL’s ruling over the DeflateGate scandal. If the Patriots choose to delay raising the banner until Brady returns, it would come Week 7 against the New York Jets. (The Patriots have a bye week between the third and fourth games of the season, and they are at Indianapolis in what would be Brady’s first game back in Week 6.)
If Brady’s suspension is reduced, then the Patriots could raise the banner Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Patriots face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1. Both teams’ starting running backs, the Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell and the Patriots’ LeGarrette Blount, also are suspended for the season opener.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
