New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Reuters/New York

A federal judge overseeing Tom Brady’s lawsuit seeking to overturn his “Deflategate” suspension yesterday questioned the strength of the National Football League’s case against the New England Patriots quarterback.
Following closed-door meetings with the league and the NFL Players Association, US District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan in open court told both sides to “take another stab” at resolving the dispute before the regular season starts.
The league suspended Brady for four games over his alleged role in a scheme to deflate footballs, making them easier to grip, in the Patriots’ 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in a January playoff game.
Berman is reviewing the league’s request to enforce the suspension, which was reached in arbitration, through his court.
The judge said he was “having trouble finding” evidence that Brady knew of any plan to deflate the footballs, though it “certainly looks like” Patriots employees were involved.
He also referred a “question in my mind” as to the independence of NFL investigator Ted Wells, whose report was used by the league as a basis to justify the suspension, which NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upheld on July 28.
Brady and Goodell attended the hearing in the federal courthouse in downtown Manhattan.
Some fans booed Goodell as he entered the building, with some shouting “liar,” while one fan yelled to Brady: “Give them hell, Tom!”
The Patriots’ victory in the Colts game enabled the team to advance to the Super Bowl, where it beat the defending champion Seattle Seahawks 28-24.
That victory made Brady, 38, a four-time Super Bowl champion.
The players union asked Berman to vacate the suspension, saying Goodell should not have been able to hand down the penalty and then hear Brady’s appeal.
Brady has denied knowing about the deflated footballs or any scheme by Patriots employees to carry it out.
A deflated football can be easier to grip for a quarterback, especially in cold weather. The NFL has already fined the Patriots $1mn and stripped the team of its first-round draft pick in 2016 and fourth-round selection in 2017.
New England opens its preseason campaign on Thursday night at home against the Green Bay Packers. Its regular season begins at home on Sept. 10, in a nationally televised game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Brady’s suspension would not take effect until the regular season begins, and second-year backup Jimmy Garoppolo would likely start at quarterback in his place.
Garoppolo played in six games last season, completing 19 of 27 passes for 182 yards.