Judges pick apart Brady’s defense
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady could again be facing a fourgame suspension for the scandal known as Deflategate after federal appeals court judges spent time Thursday shredding some of his union’s favorite arguments for dismissal.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan gave a players’ union lawyer a tough time, with Circuit Judge Denny Chin even saying evidence of ball tampering was “compelling, if not overwhelming,” and there was evidence to support a finding that Brady “knew about it, consented to it, encouraged it.”
“How do we as appellate judges reviewing an arbitrator’s decision secondguess the four-game suspension?” Chin asked attorney Jeffrey Kessler of the NFL Players Association.
The appeals court did not immediately rule, but it seemed to lean heavily at times against the union’s arguments, raising the prospect that the suspension Brady was supposed to start last September before a judge nullified it may begin next season instead.
The appeals panel seemed receptive to the NFL’s argument that it was fair for Commissioner Roger Goodell to severely penalize one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks after concluding he tarnished the game by impeding the league’s investigation into deflated footballs, including destroying a cellphone containing nearly 10,000 messages. The league had concluded that deflated balls were used when the Patriots routed the Indianapolis Colts at the January 2015 AFC Championship Game before they went on to win the Super Bowl.
Arian seven seasons.
The four-time Pro Bowler, who was scheduled to make $6.5 million in 2016, was released after a season when he missed 12 games with groin and Achilles tendon injuries.
Houston also released tight end Garrett Graham, a former Wisconsin standout, and safety Rahim Moore.
The 29-year-old Foster spent time on the practice squad before rising to lead the NFL in rushing with 1,616 yards in 2010.
Foster ran for 1,246 yards in 2014 for the fourth 1,000yard rushing season of his career.
He leaves Houston with a franchise-record 6,472 yards rushing and was also a receiving threat out of the backfield, grabbing 249 passes for 2,268 yards in his career.