When Tom Brady signed a two-year contract extension through the 2019 season, the financial numbers paled in comparison to what Brady could earn if he held the New England Patriots’ feet to the fire. The deal kept Brady in the Patriots’ picture (for now) through the age of 42.

But now that Brady appears on the verge of serving a four-game deflate-gate suspension, the terms of his contract extension mean something else entirely.

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When he signed the deal in February, Brady was given a hefty signing bonus of $28 million — but a significantly lower base contract. As many know, in the NFL guaranteed money is king; base salaries are earned only if the player is on the roster. In Brady’s case, being a vested veteran means that he’d earn that base salary after one game on the roster.

But here’s the kicker: That base salary this season, as well as for 2017, is a mere $1 million. That ties Brady for 43rd in the NFL in that category, according to Spotrac, with five other backups: Matt Moore, Chase Daniel, Drew Stanton, Luke McCown and Colt McCoy.

Brady’s former backup, Matt Cassel, who has gone 11-23 as a starter the past five seasons for four different teams, is set to make more in base salary this season at $1.25 million. Brady’s current backup, Jimmy Garoppolo — the man who could start the first quarter of the season in his place — makes $686,718 in base.

The Patriots actually helped Brady out with a lower salary in this case, as the NFL can fine Brady only for the games he might miss from his base salary. By rule, the league can’t touch a cent of that $28 million signing bonus. Another brilliant defense stroke by a team and player that often appear one step ahead, even after things go badly.

So how much would the four-game suspension cost Brady? The NFL divides game checks up into equal 1/17th portions, one for each week of the season. That means 4/17 of $1 million equals $235,294 — a big number to we normal folk, but chump change to Brady and his wife. The fact that the Patriots agreed to the deal with Brady’s base salary for 2017 season as well suggests that they (a) planned for him potentially losing this case and (b) knew it could leak over into the next calendar year.

The NFLPA always has had a complicated relationship with Brady. He’s an ambassador for the game (despite this deflate-gate nonsense), a champion and once lent his name to the lawsuit (Brady was the first one listed) against the NFL during the 2011 lockout. But Brady always has taken less money than he probably deserves compared to true market value, and that quietly irks a union that has tried to fight like crazy to get the stars of the game to help drive up salaries for its constituents, especially for the faces of the league.

But in this case, the NFLPA might have a tiny reason to smile on what was a crushing day for it and Brady. At least the NFL isn’t gaining much financially if Brady is suspended.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!

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