U.S. Judge Richard Berman issued an order on Tuesday urging the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFLPA and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to continue their settlement talks concerning Brady's four-game suspension, initially handed down by Goodell in the wake of the Deflategate scandal and the findings of Ted Wells' report and upheld on appeal by Goodell, ahead of a looming Wednesday deadline, according to the Associated Press.
"Judge Richard Berman on Tuesday ordered the sides to have 'further good faith settlement efforts' prior to the first meeting since the sides took the scandal known as 'Deflategate' to federal court."
The settlement talks are at the very least meant to lay the groundwork for a potential deal that would bring the entire convoluted Deflategate saga to a close well before the beginning of the regular season in early Sep. Berman, per the AP, directed Goodell and Brady to join lawyers in his "robing room" to discuss negotiations prior to the public hearing.
Earlier this month, Berman issued another directive to the two combatants, ordering them to cease the in-media sniping and to get down to "comprehensive, good-faith settlement discussions" aimed at striking a deal prior to their hearing. Docket entries revealed that Goodell and the league and the NFLPA had held a phone conference with Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV.
The entire process has been placed on an expedited timeline, with Sep. 4, the first day of the week leading up to the Patriots' season opener, is the target date for a final determination.
