Breaking: Judge dismisses Tom Brady suspension

Profootballtalk.com is reporting that Judge Richard M. Berman has delivered a 40 page ruling that negates the Tom Brady suspension 100%. In other words, Tom Brady will play every game this season unless the league appeals the case and wins.

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Brady was suspended for four games due to his likely knowledge of the deflated footballs used last season including balls in the playoffs. The league also fined the Patriots $1 million and took away their first round and 4th round picks in 2016. There is no word on whether or not the team will fight the penalties.

In the ruling, Judge Berman singled out the fact that the NFL failed to notify Brady that a suspension was possible for his actions or knowledge of the balls being tampered with. The ruling is more or less a judgement against the NFL’s actions and not a summation of Brady’s innocence in the case. In addition Berman said that he looked at former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s handling of the bounty scandal with the Saints and noted that no player has ever been suspended for not cooperating with a league investigation.

You can bet that the NFL will work hard to get those rules changed as soon as possible.

The reality here is that while Brady will play the four previously suspended games, there is still a stigma that hangs over Brady and the Patriot organization for cheating. It’s not the first time. While Brady will play the accusations directed at him will continue to linger, especially since the ruling does not exonerate Brady in any way.

What this really came down to was the process of which the NFL has wielded it’s authority. The NFL did not do a good job with it’s own investigation this despite the fact that Tom Brady admitted to destroying his cell phone and he and the team not cooperating. There is a process in cases like this and any others and the NFL has been flippant of late in regards to it’s rules governing the players.

While Tom Brady gets his games back the NFL can still fine him if they so desire so this may not be completely over with just yet. On the other side of this coin, the Miami Dolphins can now take comfort in knowing that if and when they win the division, Patriots fans can’t point to the four missed games by Brady.

Here are some “tweets” regarding the news.