Miss America winner crowned after telling judges Brady's a cheater

Betty Cantrell is the newest Miss America, but don’t expect New England Patriots fans to stand and applaud her victory. Because, you see, Cantrell believes Tom Brady did deflate those footballs after all.

Here’s a sentence we never thought we’d type: Country singer Brett Eldredge on Sunday asked Cantrell, who was simply Miss Georgia at the time, if she believed Brady cheated in the Deflategate scandal, even though the QB’s suspension was nullified in district court last week.

You can see Cantrell's answer here and in the tweet below.

In case you missed it, here is Cantrell's answer in full:

"That's a really good question. I'm not sure. I think I'd have to be there to see the ball, and feel it and make sure it was deflated or not deflated. But if there is question there, then yes, I think he cheated. If there is any question to be had I think that he definitely cheated and he should have been suspended for that. That's not fair."

That response must have left Roger Goodell, Ted Wells and Jeff Pash proudly beaming in their palatial New York estates.

Asked by The Associated Press to clarify her remarks afterward, Cantrell said, "It was kind of a funky question to ask me if Tom Brady cheated. I'm not a football player and I really wasn't there to feel that ball. If there was any question as to whether or not he cheated and somebody else felt the ball and decided that it was deflated, then yes, I guess he did cheat."

The answer must have worked for Cantrell; she won the Miss America pageant. But it might be smart for Cantrell to stay out of Boston for a little while.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report

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