If Wednesday’s questioning from US District Court judge Richard Berman is an indication of how he is leaning, the NFL’s four-game suspension of Tom Brady in the Deflategate case may be in trouble.
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“Settlement talks occurred this morning before Judge Berman”, a court official in Berman’s chambers told the Daily News.
Last month, Goodell upheld Brady’s suspension, concluding he “knew about, approved of, consented to, and provided inducements and rewards” to support a scheme in which a Patriots employee deflated balls before the Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 in the January 18 AFC championship game.
“Is there a text in which Mr. Brady instructs someone to put a needle in a football? There is no direct evidence that ties Brady to specifically conspiring or having something to do with deflating these footballs”, says ABC 6 Legal Analyst Ken Schreiber.
“Commissioner Goodell concluded in his decision that Brady was aware of, and took steps to support, the actions of other team employees to deflate game footballs”, a statement from the NFL said. A lawyer for the NFL didn’t respond to a request for comment. Without excusing what Enemkpali did, Ryan called the player “a good teammate” and said he believes the linebacker can learn from the mistake that prompted the Jets to immediately release him.
Brady is alleged to have known that the balls were deflated for the game.
There is no reason for Goodell to cave with Brady.
The NFL sued two weeks ago asking for Berman to declare that its punishment of Brady was properly carried out. Four minutes later, Brady arrived flanked by four security guards.
Daniel Victor of The New York Times notes Rosenberg offered an apology to Brady “for not making him as good-looking as he is”. “With pastels, it’s very hard to get accurate when you work small”, she said.
Also, both sides also met separately with the judge in private earlier in the day, with Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com reporting that Brady appeared angry after his session with Berman.
NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler contended that the NFL had insufficient evidence to punish Brady, and that the league’s collective bargaining agreement does not specify that a player can be suspended for what amounts to an equipment violation.
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“Based on these sketches, Brady was involved in some sort of terrible accident before the hearing”, tweeted Boston Globe sports reporter Peter Abraham.
