New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will have the appeal against his four-game “Deflate-gate” suspension heard in a New York federal court, a judge in Minnesota has ruled.
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“While this litigation is ongoing, it is appropriate (and helpful) for all counsel and all parties in this case to tone down their rhetoric”, Judge Richard M. Berman wrote in an order filed Thursday in the Southern District of New York.
New England Patriots star Tom Brady has promised to “fight” the NFL over a “manufactured” controversy after losing his appeal against a four-game ban. His representatives turned over requested cell phone records and emails, Brady said, and tried to obtain text messages from his old phone.
Since Brady lost his appeal, he isn’t expected to return to the field until October. 18.
“(Goodell) has no possible basis to do that, because (NFL executive vice president) Troy Vincent, who imposed the discipline, said he only relied on the Wells Report”, Kessler said.
Brady and the Patriots have denied knowingly using deflated footballs in the AFC title game win over Indianapolis.
So, while the Ravens gear up to face future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning when they play the Denver Broncos on September 13, the Steelers will miss the Patriots’ Canton-bound quarterback in Week 1, and gain a better opportunity to topple the defending Super Bowl champions.
“It would be as if you would punish one player on a team because he has been generally aware that another player on a team is taking steroids”, Kessler said.
The CBA only provides that teams and executives be on fined for tampering with equipment, with the petition saying that no player in NFL history has been suspended for “non-cooperation” or “obstruction”.
In its explanation for why it was upholding the suspension, the NFL revealed that Brady had instructed an assistant to destroy his smartphone just when investigators were getting ready to question him about his role in the scandal.
National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell had upheld the penalty he levied on Brady in May.
The lawsuit also says the league can’t punish Brady for violating standards that didn’t exist: Because the league had no standard procedure for testing the air pressure in footballs, there’s no way punishments can be fair and consistent, as required.
“It is completely incomprehensible to me that the league continues to take steps to disparage one of its all time great players, and a man for whom I have the utmost respect”, Kraft said. Before the Patriots took the field on Thursday, a judge in Minnesota rejected the union’s suit and said the case would be heard in New York.
Tom Brady’s dispute with the NFL is headed to court in the league’s back yard.
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“The two weeks going into the Super Bowl, that’s all we talked about”, Mara said.
