A US federal judge on Tuesday urged the National Football League (NFL), its players union and star quarterback Tom Brady to stage settlement talks ahead of a hearing yesterday on the “Deflate-gate” controversy.
US District Judge Richard Berman requested the sides to “engage in further good faith settlement efforts” and said he planned to meet with lawyers and those involved before the hearing for a progress update on talks.
The NFL Players Association is the defendant in the case for itself, as well as on behalf of Brady, the New England Patriots quarterback who received a four-game ban, but who has denied any wrongdoing in the cheating scandal surrounding the inflation level of balls.
The league conducted an investigation into claims of ball tampering during New England’s home playoff victory over Indianapolis in January in the American Conference championship game. The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl, Brady earning his fourth NFL title.
The probe concluded Brady likely knew of measures taken to reduce inflation levels in game balls he would use that were measured below NFL air-pressure minimums during the game, making them easier to grab, grip and throw.
Brady denied any knowledge of any improper actions regarding football preparation and appealed and cited a lack of evidence otherwise in appealing the ruling to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who handed down the original punishment and later ruled against Brady’s appeal.
That pushed Brady and the union to take the appeal to the US legal court system, hoping for an expedited ruling so Brady will know if he must serve the ban starting with next month’s season opener.
In denying the appeal, the NFL criticized Brady for destroying a cellphone that might have contained e-mail messages linking Brady to the matter.
Brady said he routinely does that for privacy protection issues.
Brady and Goodell were ordered to appear at yesterday’s hearing. A second mediation hearing is set for Wednesday next week.
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