It seems safe to assume we have probably seen the last of The Deflator on the Patriots sidelines.
As part of the league’s announcement of the punishment of the team and Tom Brady for #DeflateGate, the Patriots admitted that “employees John Jastremski and James McNally have been indefinitely suspended without pay by the club, effective on May 6th.”
Jastremski was an assistant equipment man with the team, and a full-time employee, while McNally was a game-day attendant for the officials locker room, and the self-described “Deflator.”
The league announced that neither can be reinstated without league executive vice president Troy Vincent’s approval, and spells out that: “If they are reinstated by the Patriots, Jastremski is prohibited from having any role in the preparation, supervision, or handling of footballs to be used in NFL games during the 2015 season. McNally is barred from serving as a locker room attendant for the game officials, or having any involvement with the preparation, supervision, or handling of footballs or any other equipment on game day.”
Unless Jastremski is secretly related to Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, it’s hard to imagine him resurfacing with the team, considering the level of contact he had with Brady which contributed to the “more probable than not” tampering.
Given McNally’s gameday temp status, and the apparent glee he took in messing with Brady, extorting memorabilia and threatening to go to ESPN in his text messages, it’s a good bet he won’t be hanging around Gillette Stadium any time soon.