Don't even ask Matt Cassel to go there.
The former Patriots quarterback, now competing for a starting job in Buffalo, had no opinion on Tom Brady's four-game penalty for violating the NFL policy on the integrity of the game following the release of the Ted Wells Report on the deflation of footballs during this past year's AFC Championship Game.
"I'm really not going to get into that," Cassel said, via ESPN.com. "Obviously that was a league decision and it's something that the league came down with a ruling and we're going to go out there and play against whoever's going to be out there on the field."
When asked about Brady's role in preparing footballs, he had this: "I think it's the same everywhere. ... I think we all have a say in what balls we want and all that stuff and that's about the extent that I'll go into that."
Cassel is taking a stance widely assumed by the rest of the league, which is to simply ignore the problem and allow it to die a slow death. Only Mike Pettine of the Browns seemed to have a real opinion on the matter; at least one he was willing to vocalize.
In some aspect, it all comes back to an overwhelming amount of respect -- and fear? -- some teams have with New England. Maybe Bill Belichick is able to play up that evil persona beyond what is actually true, but it seems like Cassel's response has been the norm.
Even former players paid to talk for a living like Tedy Bruschi are still firmly -- almost militantly -- in New England's camp.
It's something you don't see very often. I mean, look at Rex Ryan!
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses the latest news including Ray McDonald's release and the Adrian Peterson drama with the Vikings. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
