Tom Brady‘s woes regarding the Deflategate scandal of 2015 and the four-game suspension the New England Patriots quarterback faced and bypassed was a point of contention for the league last year. On Monday, the chapter was reopened after a federal appeals court ruled in favor of the NFL and reinstated Brady’s suspension.
As reported by ESPN, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Judges Denny Chin and Barrington D. Parker both ruled in favor of the NFL, while Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann ruled in favor of Brady. The ruling official restores Brady’s original four-game suspension that was handed down and overturned last year.
ESPN reports:
“We hold that the Commissioner [Roger Goodell] properly exercised his broad discretion under the collective bargaining agreement and that his procedural rulings were properly grounded in that agreement and did not deprive Brady of fundamental fairness,” the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday in a 2-1 decision in New York.
Brady, however, is not prepared to accept Monday’s appeals court ruling and is exploring all his legal options with his attorneys, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The decision by a three-judge panel may end the legal debate over the scandal that led to months of football fans arguing over air pressure and the reputation of one of the league’s top teams. It is also likely to fuel a fresh round of debate over what role, if any, the quarterback and top NFL star played in using underinflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game in January 2015. The Patriots won the contest over the Indianapolis Colts and then won the Super Bowl.
The NFL’s player’s union, the NFLPA, said it will review the court’s statements and continues to support Brady and also stated that Goodell violated Brady’s rights as a player. The union and Brady have the option of requesting a re-hearing via a petition. The NFL has the right to uphold the suspension or enter into other negotiations.
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