Second, with the text messages, the scope that they ask for is actually very, very wide, explained Yee. I probably should have made a letter public that we received from the NFLs lawyers. But in any event, if we would have provided the phone text messages, you have to understand Tom is also a member of the union. The commissioners office actually does not have any subpoena power. If a prominent player were to provide all their private communications absent a subpoena, that sets a dangerous precedent for all players facing disciplinary measures.
There was also a third reason to withhold his phone, as well as emails and other personal documents, much like kickerStephen Gostkowski "declined a similar request for pertinent electronic communications."
Finally, any information we would have provided, the Wells investigative team did ask us to go through Toms phone on our own and provide them with information if we chose to go that route. But if you might surmise, if we would have chosen to go that route, any information we would have given them, they probably would have had skepticism about anyway, Yee noted. So, when it came down to it, either way he turned, youre really not playing on a level playing field.