New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has, as expected, filed an appeal of his four-game suspension, which was handed to him in the wake of the revelatory findings of the DeflateGate investigation, published in the Wells Report.
The NFLPA, who filed the appeal on Brady's behalf, offered this statement in conjunction with the filing:
"Given the NFL's history of inconsistency and arbitrary decisions in disciplinary matters, it is only fair that a neutral arbitrator hear this appeal.
"If Ted Wells and the NFL believe, as their public comments stated, that the evidence in their report is 'direct' and 'inculpatory,' then they should be confident enough to present their case before someone who is truly independent."
The "truly independent" phrase at the end seems to be a thinly veiled shot at Wells, who had a prior working relationship with the league as he conducted the investigation into the Miami Dolphins-Jonathan Martin bullying incident from last year.
Wells participated in an impromptu conference call this week in an attempt to verify his independence and defend the veracity of his findings, while the Patriots published a nearly 20,000-word document on Thursday elucidating their various issues with the Wells Report and the sanctions levied against them - sanctions which included a $1 million fine, the loss of a first-round draft pick in 2016 and a fourth-round draft pick in 2017 and Brady's suspension.
While four games seemed a harsh penalty for Brady, the league's explanation was that Brady's refusal to provide his cellphone for electronic imaging constituted a "significant failure" and a lack of cooperation on Brady's part.