NFL challenges judge's ruling in Brady case

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL lawyers told a federal appeals court in Manhattan on Monday that it was “unfathomable” that a judge could decide to lift New England quarterback Tom Brady’s four-game suspension in the “Deflategate” controversy.

The lawyers said in papers filed with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Judge Richard Berman reached an “inexplicable” conclusion when he determined that the league failed to adequately warn Brady of the potential suspension and made errors in its investigation that required him to nullify the penalty.

The league asked the appeals court to reverse the lower-court judge and reinstate the penalty that would have kept Brady out of the first four games of this season.

Berman’s ruling came a week before the start of a season in which the Patriots are undefeated through six games. He found that the league’s actions were “premised upon several significant legal deficiencies.”

The appeals court isn’t scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case before February, meaning this season will not be affected by any outcome.