By Steve DelVecchio
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been seeking a complete exoneration in the Deflategate saga, but there is one compromise he might be willing to accept — a fine.
Earlier this week, Pro Football Talk reported that Brady’s camp and the NFL have had discussions about a possible settlement with the reining Super Bowl MVP’s four-game suspension. Dan Graziano of ESPN.com added on Thursday that the NFL Players Association extended a settlement offer to the league, but the offer was met with “silence.”
Brady is said to be holding firm on wanting the suspension to be overturned, though he may consider paying a fine. The court of public opinion would be less likely to remember that Brady had to pay a fine over some game ball deflating scandal than if he served a suspension.
The NFLPA is giving off the impression that Brady is prepared to go to federal court if his suspension isn’t overturned completely, but they basically have to say that before a ruling is handed down. Some have speculated that Brady would rather put Deflategate behind him and serve something like a one-game suspension if that’s what it came down to.
It seems like we should be getting close to a ruling from Roger Goodell, which Rob Gronkowski is obviously anxiously awaiting. At this point, the commissioner might feel that allowing a federal court to overturn the suspension would be a better public relations move for him than overturning it himself.
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