Brady Arbitration Success

It was the biggest controversy of the 2014-15 football season: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were accused of purposely deflating footballs to gain an illegal throwing advantage.  In the initial aftermath of “Deflategate”, the NFL made the decision to discipline Brady with a four-game suspension.  The star quarterback filed an appeal through his union, but the ruling was upheld by the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell.  An additional appeal landed the case in front of Judge Richard Berman, who struck down the suspension just in time for the opening game of the 2015-16 season.

While this sporty controversy makes for great bar talk, there are two primary takeaways: arbitration remains a brutal place for employees, but even the nastiest arbitration must have rules.

For questions about Judge Berman’s ruling overturning the NFL’s decision against Brady, contact our office to speak with an experienced employment law attorney.