The NFL tried to claim the Patriots broke the rules, but in the end the NFL was the only party confirmed to have broken the law.
When the dust has settled, the only people confirmed to have done anything wrong are Roger Goodell and his cohorts at the NFL.
That should be the headline across every platform. Whether you think Tom Brady did, or didn't, direct the equipment managers to fiddle with the footballs, the only violation that is an iron clad fact is the NFL's violation of federal law.
Listen, here's my opinion on what actually happened- and I've been saying it for a while: It all boils down to the referees not having a set process to measure footballs prior to the game because no one ever cared.