No, it wouldn’t have been a total victory for the NFL, especially with Brady refusing to accept the findings of the Wells Report. Brady not only wants to protect his legacy, he likely feels he has a leg up on the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell when it comes to his four-game suspension.
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Berman asked Brady lawyer Jeffrey Kessler why the quarterback declined to provide texts or emails to NFL investigator Ted Wells, and later destroyed his cell phone.
Tom Brady wasn’t on the practice field with the New England Patriots on Tuesday, a day before the court hearing for the NFL and the players’ union.
Tom Brady v/s the NFL will continue on Wednesday in the US federal court as both sides are persistent not to settle the dispute themselves. Neither Brady nor Goodell attended the hearing, leaving it to their attorneys.
The quarterback, regarded by many to be the greatest to have ever played the game, is said to be considering taking the case to court as he believes his legacy is on the line.
Berman presided over the settlement hearing Wednesday, when reports surfaced that Brady may be open to accepting some kind of suspension for failing to cooperate with the NFL during the Deflategate investigation.
“There has to be some basic process of fairness that needs to be followed”, Berman said.
Berman had ordered Brady and Goodell to come to court with their lawyers last week, and then met with them for hours to discuss settlement.
Brady filed an appeal to overturn a four-game suspension, worth approximately $2 million in salary, for his role in the use of deflated footballs in last season’s AFC Championship Game, ESPN reported.
“They both go to the integrity of the game”, responded NFL lawyer Daniel Nash.
Perhaps that’s because Goodell works for the men who own the NFL’s teams and not for the players, but Sherman was rolling and the fine levied against Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was in his crosshairs.
Brady and the NFL Players Association contend the arbitration was unfair and that Goodell was biased against him. Brady stands to lose almost $2 million in salary if his four-game suspension stands.
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The league said there was “ample support” in evidence for the commissioner to conclude Brady was involved in efforts by the Patriots equipment personnel to deflate footballs. If there is no settlement, Berman will decide whether Brady’s suspension remains in place at the start of the season.
