DeflateGate: Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady Appeal Decision Expected This Week

While the last week's reports that Roger Goodel's verdict on Tom Brady and his DeflateGate appeal would come over the MLB All Star break didn't come true, sources say that a verdict was definitely scheduled, but it was pulled and postponed.

ProFootballTalk is reporting that the verdict will now come before the end of this upcoming week and that Brady's camp is expecting to move directly towards their appeal, along with their injunction to temporarily lift Brady's suspension.

To think of Goodell's camp, and why he's yet to report his verdict, it's clear that he's trying to balance two factors: 1) He wants to uphold some suspension or penalty for Brady, or else this whole bonanza would be for naught; 2) He doesn't want the NFLPA to take him to court because he's been overturned time and time again, and that's not a good look.

Goodell and company are trying to come up with terms that would be acceptable to Brady's camp, while still holding the impression that the NFL is in control of the penalty. There is negotiation behind the scenes on what would be acceptable- and there's almost no chance that the NFL will let the penalty remain at a Greg Hardy level 4 games.

Brady's camp wants any and all suspension and penalty lifted, along with his name cleared. However, if Brady's suspension is lifted and he is docked a couple pay checks for his lack of cooperation with the investigation, then the penalty is more in line with Brett Favre's $50,000 penalty (even though it will be magnitudes greater), and Brady will have to think longer about an appeal to the courts. If Goodell words his penalty a certain way, it could become much more difficult to manage the appeal.

PFT notes that Brady's camp is expected to go to courts regardless, with his source going so far as calling the projected outcome a "sham", so it's clear that Mike Florio is tapped into Brady's side of things. This could just be grandstanding to try and further reduce any expected penalty, but don't expect DeflateGate to go away for a long while.