New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Brady’s dispute with the NFL is headed to court in the league’s back yard.
The Sports Business Journal first reported Thursday that a federal judge in Minnesota transferred Brady’s lawsuit to Manhattan, where the NFL first filed to have the suspension upheld. The NFLPA later filed suit with Brady’s approval.
The suits are consolidated in hopes of an expedited hearing.
On Wednesday, the NFLPA was asked by a judge in Manhattan to have its response by August 13.
Brady is expected to file an injunction to be allowed to play if the case isn’t settled by Week 1 of the regular season.
Brady made his first and only remarks on the matter via Facebook claiming the NFL was fishing for a new angle with the claim he ordered his phone destroyed in March. Brady maintains he did “nothing wrong” and denies claims that he was party to deflation of game-used footballs in the AFC Championship game.
While Patriots owner Robert Kraft scolded commissioner Roger Goodell, who upheld Brady’s suspension, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Goodell is doing an “outstanding job.”
“I can tell you firsthand that in his spot you have to with people that you are counting on to help build and to help excel as far as the National Football League, I’m talking about the owners, you have to know that you’re going to make some decisions that are very unpopular with that particular group. This is the case,” Jones said Wednesday from Oxnard, Calif., where the Cowboys opened training camp.
