Why The NFL Won ‘Deflategate’ Appeal

A federal appeals court panel this week reinstated a four-week suspension for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, a punishment linked to the “deflategate” scandal that was dismissed by a U.S. district court judge last year. The NFL appealed, and a panel of judges from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the league, and its commissioner Roger Goodell. There are several reasons the NFL prevailed, the Wall Street Journal explains, in its examination of the ruling. The judges found that, while Goodell does exercise enormous power over player discipline, that was part of a collectively-bargained agreement. The panel also disagreed that the four-game suspension was levied simply because Brady had a “general awareness” of misconduct. Based on a lengthy investigation, Goodell was entitled to conclude that “Brady’s conduct was more serious than was initially believed,” the panel wrote.