The Sports Xchange

Ron Wolf, former Green Bay Packers general manager being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, created a stir when he congratulated NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on “that Brady thing.”

Wolf was among the Hall of Fame inductees on Thursday night to accept his gold jacket ahead of Saturday’s Hall of Fame induction in Canton, Ohio.

Wolf was shown on camera telling Goodell, “Way to go on that Brady thing.” Wolf slapped Goodell on the shoulder with his left hand as he delivered the remark, and Goodell let out a laugh that received a heavily criticized reaction on social media.

Wolf said his comment to Goodell regarding the commissioner’s handling of the Deflategate scandal was sincere.

“I wasn’t trying to be a wise guy,” Wolf told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen on Friday. “I realize he has a real tough job. It was just a passing moment, and obviously, it was picked up on a microphone. I basically meant, ‘Congrats on making a decision.’ That’s why the owners are paying him all that money.

“But it’s still a tough job, and I congratulated him on making that decision, although I don’t think it was anything profound. It happened so quickly. It’s not me saying I’m for or against his decision. That’s not for me to say.”

Goodell upheld New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s four-game suspension on July 28 for Brady’s alleged role in using underinflated footballs during the AFC Championship Game in January.

In the transcript of his June 23 appeal hearing, Brady denies tampering with footballs in that game and denies telling anyone else to do so.

The NFL Players Association appealed Goodell’s ruling to federal court. Goodell and Brady are due to meet in a Manhattan federal court Wednesday for a court-mandated settlement hearing.