NEW YORK — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's "Deflategate" suspension was thrown out by a federal judge in New York on Thursday, following a seven-month standoff between the National Football League and its players union.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman vacated NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's decision in July to uphold Brady's four-game suspension over his alleged role in a scheme to deflate footballs used during a January playoff victory.
Goodell's ruling, Berman found, was plagued by "several significant legal deficiencies," including a failure to notify Brady beforehand that his alleged conduct could be punished by suspension.