Tom Brady Begins DeflateGate Appeal
BOSTON (CBS) – Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is meeting face to face with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, hoping to get his four-game suspension from the DeflateGate controversy thrown out.
The Patriots quarterback arrived at NFL offices in New York around 9am on Tuesday morning, going in a side door to avoid the massive crowd that had gathered outside. But Brady was greeted by the hundreds of reporters and fans awaiting his arrival, offering no comment to the media and very few words to his fans.
With representatives from the NFL Players' Association and several of his lawyers present, Brady is reportedly testifying under oath at Tuesday's appeal. The meeting was reportedly moved to the basement of NFL headquarters to accommodate the nearly 40 people in attendance.
Brady was suspended for four games and the Patriots were fined $1 million and docked a pair of future draft picks based on the findings in Ted Wells' report, which determined it was "more probable than not" that two Patriots employees conspired to lower the inflation level of footballs in the AFC Championship Game. The report determined that Brady "was at least generally aware" of their actions.
Wells is also on hand at the appeal to answer questions from either side.
Should the appeal process go longer than Tuesday, Thursday has been set aside to continue Brady's quest to get the suspension thrown out.
Once the appeal is complete, there is no timetable for Goodell to announce his ruling.
