Tom Brady's four-game suspension reinstated by appeals court

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's four-game suspension is — for now — back on, per Reuters. The Second Circuit court has ruled in favor of the NFL, ordering the district court and The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned last year’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Ric-hard M. Berman to to enforce that Brady miss the first quarter of the 2016 season.

The court essentially ruled not on Brady's guilt or innocence. Instead, it ruled that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had the power to implement a suspension. Article 46 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the players and the league states that the commissioner is empowered to take disciplinary power against a player whom he "reasonably judges" to have engaged in "conduct detrimental the integrity of, or public confidence in, the game of professional football.

F-rom the three-judge panel's finding:

 

"Our obligation is limited to determining whether the arbitration proceedings and award met the legal minimum standards established by the National Labor Relations Act ..."

Goodell still holds the right to rescind the four-game punishment, if he so chooses. He declined to say last week if he'd enforce Brady’s suspension this season if the appeal was won, as it was. A fine is also possible, per Goodell's discretion, but many believe that Brady will have to sit out the four games.

Brady also could seek an injuction in the matter and request a rehearing before the full Second Circuit court, or he possibly could take this all the way to the Supreme Court.

The Patriots open the season in Week 1 at the Arizona Cardinals, followed by three straight home games — against the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans (on Thursday Night Football) and Buffalo Bills. If the suspension holds, Brady would return to the field in Week 5 at the Cleveland Browns.

The timing is good for the Patriots, who own 11 draft picks and might now need to draft a quarterback. Other than Brady, the only QB on the roster is Jimmy Garoppolo, who was set to start early last season when the initial punishment was handed down before it was overturned by Berman.

Garoppolo completed only 1 of 4 passes in 2015 for 6 yards last season as the Patriots advanced all the way to the AFC championship game before losing to the Denver Broncos. In two seasons, Garoppolo has completed 20 of 31 passes for 188 yards with 1 TD, zero interceptions and five sacks taken (all in relief) after he was a 2014 second-round pick out of Eastern Illinois.