Brady's Appeal Denied, Suspension Stands

BOSTON (The Sports Xchange) - The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied an appeal by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to rehear his four-game suspension case over Deflategate.

Brady and the NFL Players Association were asking for the full appeals court panel of judges to hear the case but it was rejected in a decision announced Wednesday.

Brady is increasingly likely to miss the first four games of the 2016 season.

On April 25, a three-judge panel ruled that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was within his powers when he suspended Brady for his alleged role to deflate the footballs used in the 2015 AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 18, 2015.

Brady's remaining hope is to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. If Brady petitions the highest court, his legal team could first ask the 2nd Circuit court for a stay of its decision. If the 2nd Circuit doesn't grant a stay, Brady's lawyers could then request for a stay from the Supreme Court, which would be decided by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Brady has 90 days to appeal to file a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his appeal, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

Brady was originally suspended by Goodell on May 11, 2015, for his involvement in the Patriots' alleged deflation of footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship Game, which New England won 45-7.

The Patriots were docked $1 million and two draft picks for the scandal that has come to be known as Deflategate.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft did not appeal the $1 million fine and the loss of a first-round pick in the 2016 draft and a fourth-rounder in 2017 as part of the penalties.

With the suspension, Brady would miss New England's first four games in 2016, starting with the season opener on the road against the Arizona Cardinals on "Sunday Night Football" on Sept. 11. He also would miss games against the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would take over in those games.
Brady would be eligible to return in Week 5 on Oct. 9 against the Cleveland Browns. The four-time Super Bowl winner signed a two-year contract extension during the offseason that dropped his 2016 salary from $9 million to $1 million to save himself almost $2 million in lost salary during the suspension.