The NFL Players Association has formally requested that commissioner Roger Goodell step aside as the arbitrator for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's appeal of his four-game DeflateGate suspension. In a release issued Tuesday, the NFLPA says there have been violations of the league's collective bargaining agreement and that Goodell himself is a "central witness in the appeal hearing" and should therefore recuse himself.
NFLPA asks Roger Goodell to step aside as arbitrator in Tom Brady appeal
The union wants Goodell to appoint an independent third party to oversee the matter.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The release asks for Goodell to designate a neutral third party to serve as the arbitrator, and cites Goodell’s “evident partiality with respect to the Wells report” as another reason. They also suggest that Goodell’s inconsistencies when it comes to handing out discipline makes him “ill-suited” to hear the appeal.
“If the NFL believes the Ted Wells report has credibility because it is independent, then the NFL should embrace our request for an independent review,” the release says.
The NFLPA intends to call Goodell and NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent as witnesses for the appeal hearing and also wants to know why and under what authority Goodell delegated the DefalteGate discipline to Vincent. The union argues that only Goodell has the authority to hand out discipline in such matters as per the CBA.
Whether or not Goodell will acquiesce to this request is still up in the air, though Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports reports that “indications ... continue to be that Goodell won’t step aside.” The commissioner reportedly wants to talk to Brady himself. This is a high-profile battle for the players union, and it might be their best hope yet to undermine the commissioner as the final arbiter in player disciplinary matters.
In addition to Brady’s suspension, the Patriots were fined $1 million and docked two draft picks, including a first-round pick in 2016. Owner Robert Kraft announced Tuesday that the team would not appeal its punishment from the league.
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