In a stunning turn of events, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady announced that he is officially dropping his legal battle against the NFL over Deflategate. On July 15, 2016 on Brady’s verified Facebook account he announced that he is not going to proceed with the legal process indicating he will not ask the Supreme Court to take up the case. Recently, on July 13, 2016 the Second Circuit denied his request to rehear their earlier decision to reinstate his four-game suspension for his alleged part in a scheme to deflate footballs before a 2015 playoff game.
In his post, Brady expressed his appreciation to all those who supported him while acknowledging this process has been challenging. This decision not to continue forward with his challenge to the NFL’s suspension means Brady will officially serve his four-game suspension meaning he will be missing the first four games of the NFL season. It will begin on September 11th against the Arizona Cardinals and continue for games against the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and the Houston Texans.
Not only does these shocking decisions have short term consequences for the New England Patriots and Brady himself it may have far-reaching consequences. Brady’s fight, along with the NFLPA, against a suspension handed down and arbitrated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could set the parameters of the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations. The current agreement is set to expire in 2020 with negotiations for a new agreement set to begin in the near future.
Brady’s decision on Friday now officially ends an 18-month story which enamored both the sports and legal world, bringing them together like very few cases before it.