New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's four-game suspension, handed down in the wake of the Deflategate scandal and the findings of the Wells Report, has been nullified, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The ruling has since been confirmed and U.S. Judge Richard Berman has released his argument for vacating the suspension. Here is an excerpt from Stephen Brown of the New York Daily News...
Here's the line from Berman vacating the Tom Brady's #DeflateGate suspension. pic.twitter.com/EZpyPMEyRx
— Stephen Brown (@PPVSRB) September 3, 2015
You can read Berman's argument in its entirety here.
Throughout the NFLPA and the NFL's battle over Brady's suspension, Berman seemed to be leaning the union's way. His line of questioning continued to take issue with certain aspects of the NFL's investigative process and the decision-making behind the punishment. His argument nullifying Brady's suspension highlighted several of these issues.
Berman vacated suspension on 3 grounds: Lack of notice, NFL's denying Jeff Pash interview, NFL's denying access to investigative files. — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 3, 2015
It seems the NFL and Goodell's choice not to make chief counsel Jeffrey Pash available to the NFLPA was a major sticking point for Berman, as was the fact that Brady was given no prior warning of the potential severity of the punishment he could face. Berman deemed the four-game suspension "the equivalent of the discipline imposed upon a player who used PEDS."
The NFLPA and executive director DeMaurice Smith have released a statement addressing the ruling.
The rights of Tom Brady and of all NFL players under the collective bargaining agreement were affirmed today by a Federal Judge in a court of the NFL's choosing. We thank Judge Berman for his time, careful consideration of the issue and fair and just result.
This decision should prove, once and for all, that our Collective Bargaining Agreement does not grant this Commissioner the authority to be unfair, arbitrary and misleading. While the CBA grants the person who occupies the position of Commissioner the ability to judiciously and fairly exercise the designated power of that position, the union did not agree to attempts to unfairly, illegally exercise that power, contrary to what the NFL has repeatedly and wrongfully claimed.
We are happy for the victory of the rule of law for our players and our fans. This court's decision to overturn the NFL Commissioner again should signal to every NFL owner that collective bargaining is better than legal losses. Collective bargaining is a much better process that will lead to far better results.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a statement of his own.
As I have said during this process and throughout his Patriots career, Tom Brady is a classy person of the highest integrity. He represents everything that is great about this game and this league. Yet, with absolutely no evidence of any actions of wrongdoing by Tom in the Wells report, the lawyers at the league still insisted on imposing an defending unwarranted and unprecedented discipline. Judge Richard Berman understood this and we are greatly appreciative of his thoughtful decision that was delivered today. Now, we can return our focus to the game on the field.
After the decision, Brady will now be available for the Pats Week One matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's safe to say the franchise is pretty happy about it.
pic.twitter.com/KEpFUMr5bi — New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 3, 2015
