The NFL has suspended Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady with no pay for the first four games of the upcoming season over "Deflategate," reports ESPN.com.

The "Deflategate" incident refers to the time when "more probable than not" the Patriots used underinflated footballs during January's AFC championship game against the Indianapolis Colts, explains CNN.

Therefore, the recent Super Bowl champions will be left without the team's key player in the first few games, says NFL.com.

On Monday, the NFL announced in a statement its imposed penalty to the Patriots and Brady for not upholding the NFL's integrity of the game. The Patriots will have to pay a $1 million fine and lose its 2016 first-round and 2017 fourth-round pick in the NFL Draft, notes NFL.com

"We reached these decisions after extensive discussion with Troy Vincent and many others. We relied on the critical importance of protecting the integrity of the game and the thoroughness and independence of the Wells report," Commissioner Roger Goodell said in the statement.

Attorney Ted Wells was hired by the league to investigate the Deflategate incident, who released his findings last week, notes CNN. According to his report, "it is more probable than not" that Brady was "at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities" of Jim McNally, locker room attendant and John Jastremski, equipment assistant who deflated the balls.

Letter for Brady

NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent wrote a letter to Brady about the findings, reports ESPN. It reads, "With respect to your particular involvement, the report established that there is substantial and credible evidence to conclude you were at least generally aware of the actions of the Patriots' employees involved in the deflation of the footballs and that it was unlikely that their actions were done without your knowledge."

CNN published another part of Vincent's letter to Brady, lecturing him about accountability.

"Each player, no matter how accomplished and otherwise respected, has an obligation to comply with the rules and must be held accountable for his actions when those rules are violated and the public's confidence in the game is called into question," Vincent wrote.

Penalty too harsh?

Patriots owner Robert Kraft declared that the league's punishment was harsher than what they have prepared for, notes NFL.com.

"Despite our conviction that there was no tampering with footballs, it was our intention to accept any discipline levied by the league. Today's punishment, however, far exceeded any reasonable expectation. It was based completely on circumstantial rather than hard or conclusive evidence," Kraft said.

Brady's agent, Don Yee, told ESPN that he would appeal the suspension to commissioner Roger Goodell, as Brady has the right to do so within three days after the NFL announcement.