The Sports Xchange

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season without pay for “conduct detrimental to the integrity of the NFL” for his role in DeflateGate. In addition, the Patriots were fined $1 million and will forfeit their first-round draft pick next year and a fourth-round draft pick in 2017.

The NFL made the announcement Monday afternoon, five days after the 243-page Ted Wells report was released, concluding that the Patriots “more probable than not” violated NFL rules and Brady “was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities” of the deflated game balls in the AFC Championship game.

Brady will be able to participate in all offseason, training camp and preseason activities, including preseason games.

The team’s punishment came as a result of violating “the playing rules and the failure to cooperate in the subsequent investigation.” If the Patriots have more than one selection in either of the rounds they have been penalized, the earlier selection will be forfeited. The Patriots also cannot trade either of the selections.

“We reached these decisions after extensive discussion with (NFL Executive President) Troy Vincent and many others,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We relied on the critical importance of protecting the integrity of the game and the thoroughness and independence of the Wells report.”