Tom Brady won the Deflategate court battle on Thursday.
A Manhattan federal judge overturned NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s four-game suspension of Brady over his alleged role in using under-inflated footballs during a playoff game seven months ago.
Judge Richard Berman’s ruling clears the way for Brady to play in the New England Patriots’ season opener Sept. 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
NFL Network reported the league is not likely to file an injunction to keep Brady off the field during the appeals process.
Berman heard the four-time Super Bowl-winning QB’s appeal and was forced to make the final call after Brady’s reps and the NFL couldn’t reach a settlement.
Brady, Goodell and their lawyers had appeared before Berman for a brief hearing Monday, telling him they couldn’t craft a deal despite a month of closed-door talks and two previous court appearances.
In a hearing last month, Berman sharply questioned an NFL lawyer about whether there was any direct evidence linking Brady to the deflated footballs.
Under-inflated pigskins are considered easier for players on offense to handle. Each team provides its own footballs when its side is on offense.
“Is there a text in which Mr. Brady instructs someone to put a needle in a football? No, there is not such direct evidence,” said NFL attorney Daniel L. Nash, adding later, “Just because there may not be a smoking gun does not mean there’s not evidence of culpability.”
Berman appeared to telegraph his doubts that Brady gained any real edge in using deflated footballs.
When refs figured out the Patriots were using under-inflated balls, New England led the Indianapolis Colts, 17-7, at halftime of the AFC title game on Jan. 18.
But with the properly inflated pigskins, New England went on to a 45-7 romp. The Pats won Super Bowl XLIX two weeks later, defeating the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.
“You might say [Brady] got no better advantage from the under-inflation,” Berman said.
Via JoshSoul/NYPost