The NFL and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady are meeting in court today with the objective being a settlement to resolve punishment in the "Deflategate" scandal, which has enveloped the team and the league since before the Super Bowl.
After an investigation spanning several months from independent investigator Ted Wells found Brady "more probable than not" to have been "generally aware" of Pats staff members deflating footballs to an illegal level to help Brady gain a competitive advantage, Brady was suspended four games. The length of the suspension was based not only on Brady's actions, but also his unwillingness to cooperate with Wells' investigation. At one point Brady was even alleged to have destroyed a cell phone Wells wanted to look at prior to a meeting.
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Brady is now appealing his suspension, and Judge Richard Berman has ordered the two sides to have "further good faith settlement" talks. The two sides initially talked settlement, but the NFL denied his appeal and upheld the four-game ban.
Brady is insisting he did nothing wrong and won't give credence to Wells' report. He's further alleged that Wells was biased toward the NFL because he has been paid more than $45 million by the NFL for just two investigations.
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The NFL has reportedly changed its settlement offer to Brady, but Brady is unwilling to accept any suspension, and refuses to admit guilt, per ESPN. At this point, all Brady will agree to is a fine. Brady's case must have legs if Judge Berman is personally overseeing the discussion, The Boston Globe reported.
"Ordinarily the judge that decides the case is going to have a third party engage the mediation, so this is a little bit unusual," said Samuel Estreicher, a labor and sports law professor at NYU. "He must see some basis for an agreement, because he's getting involved. He must think there's some basis for resolution."
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