Tom Brady ends appeal process

TOM BRADY, quarterback for the New England Patriots, center, arrives at federal court in New York on Aug. 12 over his four-game suspension relating to having used deflated footballs in a playoff game last year.  / BLOOMBERG NEWS FILE PHOTO/ LOUIS LANZANO
TOM BRADY, quarterback for the New England Patriots, center, arrives at federal court in New York on Aug. 12 over his four-game suspension relating to having used deflated footballs in a playoff game last year. / BLOOMBERG NEWS FILE PHOTO/ LOUIS LANZANO

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said on Friday he will sit out the team’s first four games next season.
“It has been a challenging 18 months and I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “I’m going to work hard to be the best player I can be for the New England Patriots and I look forward to having the opportunity to return to the field this fall.”
The New York Times reported that Brady’s decision means the Patriots will likely to start the season with the “little-tested” Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Brady for four games for his role in a scheme to deflate game balls known as “deflategate.”

The NFL Players Association, which had helped Brady in his legal defense, said it will not seek a stay of the four-game suspension.

“This decision was made in the interest of certainty and planning for Tom before the New England Patriots season,” it wrote.
The players’ union said it would review its options and “we reserve our rights to petition for cert. to the Supreme Court.”

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