NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also released a statement on Thursday, saying he will appeal the decision:
We are grateful to Judge Berman for hearing this matter, but respectfully disagree with today’s decision. We will appeal today’s ruling in order to uphold the collectively bargained responsibility to protect the integrity of the game. The commissioner’s responsibility to secure the competitive fairness of our game is a paramount principle, and the league and our 32 clubs will continue to pursue a path to that end. While the legal phase of this process continues, we look forward to focusing on football and the opening of the regular season.
Brady was given a four-game suspension following January’s AFC Championship against the Indianapolis Colts in which it was claimed that Brady had worked with two ball handlers before the game to under-inflate the game footballs.