Brady becomes an option QB if he wants to contest suspension
Tom Brady won Round 1. The NFL won Round 2. Round 3, anyone?
The “Deflategate” saga will continue if Brady insists on fighting his four-game suspension.
There’s no reason to think he’s willing to accept it despite long odds to win another court battle and the possibility more litigation can drag on into next year.
Manhattan Judge Richard Berman overturned the suspension last September, allowing Brady to play the 2015 season.
A three-judge panel of a federal appeals court ruled 2-to-1 on Monday in favor of the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, reinstating the suspension.
But that doesn’t mean the Patriots won’t have Brady for the first month of the season.
Here’s what can happen next:
• The NFL Players Association has two weeks to ask the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan to rehear the case or the union can request the entire 2nd Circuit hears it.
If either agreed to do so, then the NFLPA could ask for a stay of Monday’s ruling and the court could agree or could turn down the request.
•The union could appeal directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, though it’s unlikely the court would consider it.
• Brady and the NFL could reach a compromise, change the terms of the punishment and reduce the quarterback’s suspension.
Bengals cut veteran Hawk
The Cincinnati Bengals released linebacker A.J. Hawk on Tuesday.
A native of southwest Ohio who starred at Ohio State, Hawk joined the Bengals as a free agent last spring after spending nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers and departing as that team’s career leader in tackles.
Hawk, 32, played in 16 games last season for the Bengals, with 11 starts. He logged 24 tackles and a sack. He also appeared in the team’s wild-card playoff game.
Absent Dolphins for first practice
The Miami Dolphins are lucky their first game is more than four months away, because they were far from full strength for their first practice under new coach Adam Gase.
Absent from the voluntary workout in Davie, Fla., were four defensive starters — safety Reshad Jones, tackle Ndamukong Suh, end Mario Williams and linebacker Koa Misi. End Cameron Wake was in uniform but didn’t take part in team drills because he’s recovering from Achilles tendon surgery.
Jones is believed to be unhappy with his $28 million, four-year contract, which expires after the 2017 season. Williams was dealing with a personal matter. Suh has often missed offseason sessions and likes to train at home in Oregon.