Judge Vacates Tom Brady's Deflategate Suspension

Tom Brady is once again free to play football.

The AP reports that Judge Richard Berman has vacated the Patriots quarterback’s four-game suspension stemming from the controversy known as “Deflategate.” The decision allows Brady to play in the home opener on Sept. 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Judge Berman announced the decision Thursday morning after neither side were able to reach a settlement by the Aug. 31 deadline.

“With respect to “general awareness” of others’ misconduct – which is the principal finding of the Wells Report and the Vincent Letter - Brady had no notice that such conduct was prohibited, or any reasonable certainty of potential discipline stemming from such conduct. The Court concludes that, as a matter of law, no NFL police or precedent notifies players they may be disciplined (much less suspended) for general awareness of misconduct by others. And it does not appear that the NFL has ever, prior to this case, sought to punish players of such an alleged violation,” Judge Berman wrote in his decision.

In a statement, the NFL Players’ Association said, “This decision should prove, once and for all, that our Collective Bargaining Agreement does not grant this Commissioner the authority to be unfair, arbitrary and misleading. While the CBA grants the person who occupies the position of Commissioner the ability to judiciously and fairly exercise the designated power of that position, the union did not agree to attempts to unfairly, illegally exercise that power, contrary to what the NFL has repeatedly and wrongfully claimed.”

Earlier this year, Brady was suspended by the NFL for four games after the Wells Report concluded that Brady was generally aware of efforts by Patriots staffers to tamper with footballs used in the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. The suspension was upheld in May after an appeal hearing with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Throughout the controversy, Brady has maintained his innocence and has denied any knowledge of any effort to deflate footballs on his behalf.

In a statement, Goodell said the NFL will appeal the decision.

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