New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was in New York on Tuesday to appeal his four-game suspension, and there a number of possible outcomes that could be produced by the hearing. Could more than one of them result in Brady suiting up against the Pittsburgh Steelers for the NFL regular season opener?
The simplest way Brady would be available for Week 1 is if NFL commissioner Goodell overturned the suspension completely. As I have said numerous times, I would be surprised if Goodell and Patriots owner Robert Kraft didn’t work out some sort of deal when Kraft agreed to accept the team’s Deflategate punishment and not pursue legal action against the league.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said there is a growing belief that Brady is going to play in Week 1, and that could happen even if the suspension is not overturned. If Brady and his legal team intend to take the NFL to court after the appeal, they could file a temporary injunction that would allow him to play.
“You file for a temporary injunction so that Brady can end up playing in the opener,” Schefter told WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan. “In talking to people who I have spoken to, and we will see how this plays out, there’s a real chance they Tom Brady will end up playing in the opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Schefter also noted that Brady “doesn’t believe he did anything wrong,” which could mean the case is on path for federal court. Since a federal judge would be ruling based on laws and not NFL protocol, that probably wouldn’t work out well for the league. That could be another reason Goodell will want to keep an open mind during the appeal.
We already know that Brady is seeking a complete exoneration, which means accepting a reduced suspension is likely off the table. Unless those videos of Brady at Kraft’s party were misleading, the three-time Super Bowl MVP doesn’t seem all that concerned. We’ll know in the near future whether he should be or not.
