The NFL reportedly filed a civil appeal pre-argument statement Thursday showing how it will plan to fight Judge Berman's decision regarding Tom Brady and the Deflategate case ruling, according to Michael McCann of Sports Illustrated.
This filing is just one of the routine procedures the NFL has to take in overturning Judge Berman's decision. The "notice of appeal" is a one-page start that doesn't shed any light on the case, but it shows how the league plans to argue the decision in the federal appellate court.
The filing outlines the three issues that the NFL is going to argue during the appeals process. First is whether Judge Berman made an error by depending on legal standards in the Federal Arbitration Act as compared to the Labor Management Relations Act. Second will be how Judge Berman made in error in vacating the arbitration based on a disagreement between him and Commissioner Roger Goodell in interpreting the collective bargaining agreement. Lastly, the NFL will argue that Judge Berman erred in vacating the arbitration, because two of Goodell's rulings were based on his interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement, according to Rachel Axon of USA Today Sports.
The appellate process is likely to take months if not longer, and it's likely that a decision will not be made until next summer or fall, according to McCann. This filing is just the start of the appeals process, but it is significant because it shows the NFL and Goodell are following through on trying to punish Brady for allegedly being involved with deflating footballs
This is a major case for the NFL and the NFLPA, as it sets a precedent that can be used in other cases involving players punished by the league. If the league loses in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, it would become binding in other federal district courts in New York, according to McCann. The NFL is pretty much taking a big gamble here, but they are likely confident that they can change the ruling.
