A four-game suspension for Tom Brady's DeflateGate involvement angered New England Patriots officials, players and fans alike, but there's a chance the 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback will end up playing anyway.
It wouldn't be unprecedented for Brady to win his impending appeal of the punishment and re-establish himself as the Week 1 starter for the Patriots -- especially considering the legal team that he has assembled for his appeal via the NFL Players Association.
Joining Brady's high-profile agent, Don Yee, for the appeal will be Jeffrey Kessler, a noted labor attorney who recently represented Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. The legal team assembled by Brady was enough to convince one of Adam Schefter's sources that the suspension will be overturned altogether.
"Brady's team is unreal," the source said. "Talented, big-name lawyers: Yee, Kessler, etc. Prediction=won't miss a game."
Brady isn't the first superstar to receive a suspension in the last year and he wouldn't be the first one to have his punishment overturned. Peterson's indefinite suspension from the NFL was overturned in February, as was Ray Rice's in November. Even Ndamukong Suh's one-game suspension for stepping on Aaron Rodgers was tossed out, allowing him to play in a wild card game against the Dallas Cowboys.
None of those players were suspended for cheating, though. That's what makes Brady's suspension a rare one, but with evidence that it "was more probable than not" that Brady was aware of the alleged deflation plans, the likelihood that his lawyers can earn a victory in the appeal may be high.
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